Shrouded Silhouttes A Tootie Spinoff
by soulful-sin
Summary: Even the young have their burdens...Tootie has her own mission, to aid alternate universes and rid of them of The Other. Can she do it?
1. Clouded Mirror

Author's Note: As Mister Blue could tell you, this wasn't supposed to come out this early. But I've been working on it for over two weeks and it also is in the same place as chapter eight of The Other Saga, Part Three. I thought it'd be more interesting if you got two versions of what happens in the eighth chapter. Besides, I think some people think she's been kidnapped or something…

Disclaimer- As usual, I must protest I don't own Fairly Oddparents. (sighs) Need I go into the Channel Chasers thing again? Damn it all.

Chapter One- Clouded Mirror

            "This is one hell of a slow elevator," Tootie muttered nervously and shifted her burden from one hand to the other. "I feel like I've been in it for at least an hour."

            "Traveling from one universe to another is very tricky and requires a lot of magic. I can't spare much at the moment because I'm still dead but, when we near the first universe, I'll be of more use," Cal, floating by her as a ghost, told her.

            "Will I ever see my Timmy again?" Tootie asked anxiously as she eyed the picture. "Because I felt horrible for leaving him like this…"

            Cal didn't answer her. Personally, he felt her chances were 50/50 if that good of getting out of all her tasks alive. Screwing with alternate versions of The Other when the circumstances and the events surrounding them might be completely different was dicey. Besides, he had to make sure she didn't encounter any of her counterparts; there would be sure trouble if she did.

            "Cal?" Leaning against the wall and resigning herself to the long ride, she clutched the picture to her chest and shut her eyes.

            "Yes?" His form was growing steadily more solid, she could barely see through him anymore. In fact, his wand had materialized but it was different- instead of a gold star atop it, the star was blue and so was his crown.

            "When…when I get there, will I be able to talk to him at all?"

            Cal didn't have to ask whom she was referring to. Another unpleasant task for him, breaking it to her that she could neither have contact with anyone nor tell anyone about her missions. Why did they have to choose her? What did she have that the others didn't have? She was only a kid…

            "I'm sorry, Tootie, but no. You can't talk to him at all- it's against Da Rules. Also, when and if we get back-" Cal began.

            "If?! What the hell are you sending me into, a battle?" Tootie snapped and folded her arms across her chest, over the picture.

            "Essentially, yes." Cal sighed and flopped down next to her.

            "Who said I wanted to do this? I want out! Get this elevator back to my Dimmsdale now! Fuck Fairy World, I want to go home!" Tootie snapped, on the verge of tears. The 'if' was starting to frighten her- what if she never saw her Timmy again? What if she was trapped in an alternate universe, forever stranded?

            "I'm deeply sorry, Tootie. This wasn't my decision-"

            "Then whose was it? I'll get them! I'll kill them for taking me away from my Timmy-" Tootie screamed and started to cry.

            "I'm afraid you don't have that option and there are things far more important than Timmy right now. The Others of alternate universes are conniving, back stabbing-"

            "I don't give a shit! My Timmy is going to commit suicide at this rate because of some stupid fucking mission!"

            "No, he isn't," Cal said calmly and wrapped his arms around his godchild. She was not comforted, however, and struggled to free herself. Dammit, she was the reason he nearly failed last time- if she wasn't there for him now, he would kill himself! What the hell was wrong with Cal?

           "Timmy…" Tootie whimpered and curled into a ball, only the rims of her glasses showing. God, now Cal felt horrible. This too would take some explaining…

            "Look, there is a sect of fairies that were brought back from the dead. I'm one of them. These fairies have powers beyond normal fairies because they can't function in the universe they were born in, so, to compensate, they can see the future. I can't see the future in the universe I was murdered in, but, as we're in between at the moment, I can tell you. This is another one of those things-"

            "Bull shit." Tootie muttered and Cal faltered.

            "Pardon?" Cal asked politely and she raised her head to glare at him.

            "You heard me. If Timmy dies-"

           "If Timmy were to die, you would feel it. Trust me, it's not pleasant to feel your true love die while you stand helpless. Even if you're separated from him at the moment, the pain is so great it will literally knock you out if you're not prepared," Cal said softly and her gaze softened.

            "My girlfriend succumbed to an incurable fairy disease when I was eighteen. She was my one and only true love. I was at her bedside when she died and she died with my name on her lips. That was the single most painful moment in my life, to feel her slip both from life and my mind. By the time she finally passed, her speech was all but gone and she could only communicate via telepathy weakly. I was all she had." He floated beside the door and placed his hand on the panel that now read floor 7.

            "I'm sorry…" Tootie whispered and she truly was. She hadn't asked for him to reveal his past to her and yet he did because she was being foolish and obstinate. The memory must have pained him greatly to reveal, too.

            "No, it is my duty as your fairy godparent to be the best I can possibly be and the only way I was going to convince you I was right was by example. Timmy will be, well, I can't say fine, but he'll live. I am forbidden from further speaking on the subject, so don't ask."

            Tootie nodded slightly to indicate she was listening and they were both pensive for a moment. Cal thought of his girlfriend and Tootie wondered just how much of the future Cal knew. Then again, it wasn't really her place to inquire, especially because he wasn't allowed to tell her.

            Besides, she should really turn her attention to whatever was forthcoming and how dangerous it would be. If Cal thought she stood so little a chance against it, it must be formidable indeed. But, in her inexperience, she figured all versions of The Other had to have the same or similar weaknesses. However, pondering it realistically told her unfortunately, this could not be the case.

            "I don't know where we're going first. The selection is random. We might hit it lucky and find a place that requires only a quick fix. Conversely, we might settle down in an area troubled so much by The Other it may take nothing short of a miracle for the universe to retain some semblance of normalcy. Those universes are the ones I would not like you to encounter first…"

            "Or I won't see Timmy again," Tootie finished dully. "Any other rules I need to be aware of before I sign away my soul, Beelzebub?"

            Fidgeting with an enormous bag of weapons, Cal met her eyes and sighed. "Quite a few."         

            "Do I get a nifty rule book or do I have to figure them out before I get killed?" Bunkering down for the long stay, she glanced at her watch and frowned. Something funky was going on- her watch read 4:00, two hours before she went to the library. Time was flowing backwards?

            "No, time is flowing forwards so quickly it only appears to be reversed. Look at the hands of your watch, they're moving so rapidly they're a blur. Every once in a while, they'll stop because I can't handle accelerating your aging and ensuring we arrive safely at the same time if one jumps ahead of the other." Cal informed her and smiled coyly.

            "Aging? What do you mean, 'aging'? I'm not getting older!" Tootie replied, bewildered. (She hadn't looked down at her chest yet, because she was looking at Cal instead).

            "Look in the reflexive glass if you don't believe me," Cal said, grinning from ear to ear.

            "Fine, but it won't prove anything-!" For, standing in front of the glass, she saw not an eleven year old going on twelve (her birthday was on January 12th), but a fully endowed sixteen year old with curves to knock boys' eyes straight out of their sockets. Long pigtails went past her extremely slim waist, her glasses were gone (replaced by contacts that accentuated her purple eyes), and her skirt was so high up Cal could see her panties. Well, he'd have to fix her outfit, that was for certain.

            "Damn…" She twirled around and gasped. Her shirt was also way too tight and short and the bottom of her chest was exposed. Well, Cal had aged her but forgotten to adjust her clothing to match.

            "Uh, yes, about that…" Cal waved his wand about and produced a similar outfit to the one she'd worn before.

            Scowling at the humdrum attire he had outfitted her with, Tootie was about to voice an objection (it really didn't hug her curves like she wanted it to) when the elevator suddenly slammed down and she lost her balance. Cal quickly halted her and kept her in midair. Even though he wasn't as attached to his godchild as Cosmo and Wanda were to Timmy, he still didn't want her to get hurt and the bottom of the elevator had just dropped out.

            "Okay, explain what the hell just happened, now!" Tootie yelled, not used to floating with nothing supporting her. A mournful cry filled her mind and the sense of death raised her goose pimples. Where were they?

            "We're here." Cal said simply and the doors opened before them. A vast wasteland was all they could see and he silently swore. Grand, just like Fairy World to stick her with a difficult one. From the looks of it, there might not be much humanity left to save.

            If this was Dimmsdale Public Library (all signs pointed to 'yes' for that), then it had survived some sort of nuclear attack. No, correction, not a human attack but an anti-fairy one. The Other had done this…

            Swiveling her head to the side, Tootie saw a seventeen-year-old Timmy lying half-dead on the ground. Cuts lined his arms and legs and a few whip marks scarred his back. Around him, the grass had long since shriveled and died and the soil was a sickly red, painted so by his blood.

            A blush spread on her cheeks- this Timmy had extremely broad shoulders and well developed back muscles as well as other pleasant features. He had also grown a bit and was about her height now, give or a take a few inches. Of course, the pink hat was still firmly in place but little more than a memento, a struggle to hold on to the old days.

            "Timmy!" Tootie screamed, her heart going out to him automatically. Despite the fact he was not the Timmy she had grown up with, he was still Timmy and he still made her heart skip beats. In fact, the very idea of anyone hurting him like that filled her with an uncontrollable rage. Whoever did this would suffer greatly.

            The very instant Cal had safely planted her on the ground; she sped for this universe's Timmy. How predictable, she always went for him. Still, this wasn't a good practice. For all she knew, he could be triggered to explode or something (it wasn't that laughable considering they didn't have the foggiest clue what The Other could do here).

            "Stop!" He said and paralyzed her from the waist down. Unable to fling herself down and clutch him to her, Tootie fell over her feet and landed face first into a mud puddle. Ooh, bad aim. He should really work on that.

            Sputtering indignantly, she pulled herself upright and glared. "Cal, what gives?"

            Despite the fact that this Dimmsdale was a wasteland, he didn't want to take stupid chances and turned into a cat. After all, you never knew who might be lurking about this desolate place, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting fairy. Besides, Timmy's condition gave him the willies and anything that could do that to him might be able to do worse to him without thinking twice.

            "I'm sorry but you don't know if this Timmy means you harm or even if that _is _Timmy. After all, it could be The Other in disguise. You know absolutely nothing about this universe-"

            "Then I say I find out!" Tootie snapped. "I wish I could move again!"

            _I hate loopholes. They really should enable the fairy godparents to have more control over their godchildren. I don't want her to get hurt gaining knowledge that may be of no use to her._

Sighing heavily, Cal released her paralysis and, as expected, she cradled Timmy to her chest. Timmy chose this moment to awake and scream. She had anticipated something of the sort, but not of these proportions.

            "What the hell? Get away from me, you insane freak!" Timmy snapped and, although in no condition to fight, did so anyway. Blood materialized on her vest and its source was the back of Timmy's head. What on earth could have happened?

            "What are you talking about? If this is about all the stalking-"

            "I wish! Oh, there's a phrase I thought I'd never use again! I'd love to have any of my wishes granted, but I can't. You know why? Because you kidnapped them and are using them for your own selfish gain, you selfish bitch!"

            "I…I don't know what you're talking about…" Tootie whispered, befuddled.

            "Bull shit! You know perfectly well what I'm talking about! Where are they? What did you do to them? The same thing you did to my parents? The same thing you tried to do three times to me? What?" Timmy spat and Tootie recoiled, tears brimming in her eyes.

            Cal stepped in then, afraid Tootie would have some sort of breakdown. Dammit- why the hell did Fairy World have to send her to a tough world first? Better yet, why was this her burden to begin with? What was wrong with these fairies?

            "Stop it! This isn't the Tootie you know! She's from an alternate universe and she's here to try to-" But Timmy wasn't letting anyone else get a word in edgewise.

            "Oh, so you're on her side too, huh? You want to try to help, Toots? Eat shit and die!"

            His comments and actions reminded her too much of her own Timmy's in the past few months and the tears fell down her cheeks, unabated. She sobbed, burying her head in her knees. No, why did she have to be here? Why did she have to endure this again and again?

            "You bastard!" Cal growled, shaking with anger. "Why don't you shut up and let someone else speak for a second?"

            "Why don't you just mind your own damn business, fairy?" Timmy shot back.

            "Your business is our business. We're here on official Fairy World duty-"

            "Oh, Fairy World? You mean the bunch of troops that came here and tried to stop Lorelei? They were slaughtered in a week. Then Jorgen himself came and his corpse is around here somewhere. Lorelei didn't show him any mercy, why should I show you any?" Timmy snapped, folding his arms across his chest with great difficulty.

            Cal sighed. "There's a way to tell if Tootie is really from another realm or not. Ask her a question only your Tootie-"

            "She isn't my Tootie. She never was. If she hadn't followed me around and tried to act like Trixie so I'd like her-"

            "Why would I act like her?" Tootie retorted, muffled. "She's shallow, vain, popular, and a cheerleading bitch. My counterpart must have been pretty damn desperate to even think of that."

            Timmy frowned. Her counterpart? Maybe Cal was telling the truth. There was only one way to find out, ask her about the past and see if it corresponded with his.

            "When you were almost ten, me and my friends launched a series of water balloons at you. We hit you with a Crash Nebula action figure, do you remember?" _The Tootie I know would remember immediately and start in on me. I got in so much trouble for that one._

"No, it was a Crimson Chin doll and you never hit me because you ran out of water balloons," Tootie replied, wincing for her counterpart. A Crash Nebula doll? Ouch.

            "No," Timmy said, confused again. "It was a Crash Nebula doll and it hit you in the forehead. You were out for six weeks. Your parents sued mine and we had to settle out of court. The hospital said you should have suffered brain damage but Cal apparently healed you.

            "But," he added as afterthought, "it didn't stop Vicky from pummeling me senseless and blaming Francis. My parents believed her, too."

            Tootie had nothing to say to this. She could not believe Timmy, any Timmy, would be cruel enough to launch a hard, plastic object against a harmless little girl. Moreover, if she'd had Cal that early, who was to say what would happen? Perhaps she'd even made the wish herself to become a fairy godparent…had she?

            "Why don't you tell us what happened in this universe and we'll try to help," Cal said quickly, noticing his goddaughter was deep in thought.

            "Trixie's dead, my parents are dead, Cosmo and Wanda are probably dead too, Fairy World is broken, there's nothing left. You wasted your time coming here, the only person she has yet to destroy on her list is me and she'll get me eventually. The reason she hasn't gotten to me yet is I seem to be the victim of extremely good luck," Timmy said dejectedly.

            "Or not," Tootie said slowly. "Wait a minute, did you say 'she'? You mean my counterpart is doing all this?"

            Timmy smirked. "Even I know you haven't got the heart to hurt me. The Other is doing all this, but that isn't what she prefers to be called. Her name is Lorelei."

            _Same beginning four letters, interesting. Lorelei, huh? But if my counterpart isn't doing this and The Other is female in this universe…I wished for it here, didn't I? I mean, well, it wasn't me. Okay, it was but not me me, the me in this world. Ack! It's so confusing!_

"It all started with the dance at Dimmsdale Junior High. It was the Sadie Hawkins Dance and you, not you you but the you that I know, well, anyway, she was trying her hardest to get me to go with her."

                                                ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­-------------------------------

(Dimmsdale Junior High, near the old gym, December 20th, 2006)

            _"Please? Timmy!" A girl with long, black, plaited pigtails, green glasses, and a preppy outfit begs. Her backpack is shifting on her shoulders as she speaks and there is a scuffmark under her right eye._

_            "No! Look, why don't you leave me alone? Ask someone else!" Timmy retorts back and slams the locker shut, narrowly missing her._

_            "But I want to go with you…" Tootie whimpers and blinks back tears. "I love you, Timmy. I'll go to the ends of the earth for you. Just tell me you want me to do and I'll do it."_

_            "Okay," Timmy says and watches her face light up. He takes a certain malicious pleasure in watching her dreams smash to pieces._

_            "You can start by leaving me alone!" _

_            Tootie, still blinking furiously, manages to utter a soft 'huh?'. "But, but…"_

_            "I don't like you! I never liked you! I thought you were this creepy little girl and guess what? You're still creepy! Only now, you're this stupid psycho who won't get a hint! Leave me alone. Better yet, never even pass my path again. I don't want to see you."_

_            As soon as he says that, he realizes how wrong it was and wonders why on earth he said it at all. Surely he doesn't hate her that much, she's only a girl. But if she keeps doing this, he'll never get anywhere with Trixie, the real love of his life._

_            Tootie bursts into tears and he can see her heart is breaking. He's just told her, essentially, that she's worthless and nothing she can ever do will make him like her. Perhaps he's been a little callous, maybe he should apologize._

_            "But…Timmy…" she stammers, the words choked by her sobs. "How can you say that?"_

_            But the cruelty won't stop coming. Instead of apologizing, which is what he really should do, he rubs it in even more. It could have something to do with Trixie hanging around the corner, listening, come to think of it._

_            "Because it's true! The only good thing about you is you're Vicky's little sister. That's the only reason anyone ever tolerates you because your sister can beat them up. You're nothing without her."_

_            She wants to hit him, but he's Timmy. She can't hurt Timmy, no matter how much she wants to. Still, a small voice whispers in her head, I can. I can make him hurt like he's hurt you. _

_            He won't let her defend herself. Instead, he senselessly attacks her. Today has been a horrible day for him- Crocker's pop quiz on ancient French culture, getting hit in the groin during gym, Cosmo and Wanda off on some exploit in Fairy World. None of these are her fault, but he needs a scapegoat and she'll do._

_            "You'll never be Trixie, so stop trying. She's pretty, popular, all the things you're not. She's a goddess and you're just Vicky's little sister," Timmy finishes and feels a sharp kick in his side from his pink backpack. Wanda and Cosmo have heard the entire thing and are none too pleased with him._

_            "Is…is that what you really think? You really hate me, don't you? I'll just go die now!" Tootie sobs and runs out of the building._

_            Wanda poofs into her normal form and slaps him hard. She's never one to raise her hand in violence against her godchildren but this time, Timmy needs it sorely. Why had he said all those horrible things?_

_            "Wow, look at her. She's really bawling, isn't she?" Cosmo says, half admirably. Wanda jabs him in the ribs and he changes his tune._

_            "I mean, that was a horrible thing to do, Timmy," Cosmo says unconvincingly._

_            "Yes, it was. Why couldn't you have just let her down gently instead of smashing her dreams to pieces like that? You broke her heart!" Wanda snaps and they quickly vanish as Trixie rounds the corner and smiles at Timmy._

_            "I saw what you did." Trixie says and holds out a familiar pin. "I'm really impressed that you could deal with a loser that thoroughly and break her heart so soundly. You are officially cool enough to be my boyfriend. Want to come with me to the Sadie Hawkins dance?"_

_            "Of course!" Timmy agrees and then quickly adds, "not like I was doing anything else that day."_

_            "Cool. Pick me up at eight." Trixie then departs and Timmy sighs happily, forgetting why she wanted him to go with her in the first place._

_            Meanwhile, outside, a sinister voice whispers in Tootie's head and some of what she's saying to her begins to make sense…_

            -----------------------------------

            "And that's what happened," Timmy finished. Tootie looked at him wide-eyed, stunned at his cruelty. She shivered, wondering if her Timmy was capable of such malevolence.

            "She hasn't been the same since. The other version of her is like an older version, she's twenty-two now. Her sole purpose in life is to kill me, I think, but first-" Timmy stood up with a wince and Tootie nodded to Cal to heal him.

            "But first to make you pay for all the cruel things you've done to my counterpart," Tootie completed. "She's toying with you. Already, she's stolen your hope and she knows you don't have anything left. I bet the first thing she did was kill Trixie."

            "Yeah, how did you know?" He replied, feeling his now uninjured head in astonishment.

            "Because she went mad with jealousy." Tootie didn't continue, thinking of her own experiences with the pretty, young Asian girl and her version of Timmy. She could easily envision herself driven insane by the idea of Timmy and Trixie.

            "And everything else you did to her and continued to do to her just added to her hatred. I know I wouldn't hurt you and my counterpart couldn't, but The Other, created from her resentment and bottled up rage, would. She'd do everything your version of Tootie couldn't do, including kill Trixie and make you pay for hurting her.

            "But that wasn't enough to satisfy her. She had to keep you in line somehow. She had to hold someone's life over your head. And when she discovered Cosmo and Wanda, she found her target. Your Cosmo and Wanda aren't dead, they're just in some place you would never think to look. They'll remain there until she does kill you, and then she'll kill them. You did say, after all, that killing Jorgen wasn't a problem for her.

            "And she didn't kill him to prove anything, she did it because he was getting too close to this version of Tootie. The Others must have one thing in common- none of them can stand their sires in any real pain," Tootie hypothesized and it was a good theory, holding true most of the time.

            "'The Others'? There are more of them?" Timmy asked and Tootie smirked.

            "Yup. Well, according to Cal, there are many universes plagued by him, including my own."

            "You mean 'her'," Timmy corrected.

            "Mine is a male. He came from one of _your _wishes."

            "As enlightening as this conversation is, I think we have work to do," Cal reminded them after being ignored for a good thirty minutes. Of course, being dead and all, he was used to being overlooked, but conversing with an alternate version about The Other in her world was not an effective use of her time. She had a deadline here- if she did not solve the problem in twenty-four hours and get the hell out of there, they would be stuck in that universe and stranded until Fairy World rescued them.

            "What's the hurry?" Timmy said, frowning. "I don't see any harm in learning about her version of The Other. I mean, it would be interesting to find out what he could accomplish and his objectives."

            "Tootie has a deadline. I can't hold us here for more than a day and, if she doesn't fix the problem by then, we're stranded."

            "You mean I'll never see my Timmy again?" Tootie cried despondently. "I'd never hold him or kiss him?"

            "You can always go with me." Timmy said with a little half shrug. "I'm not that bad."

            "You're bad enough," Tootie replied. "I guess we have work to do. The first thing we ought to do is locate Cosmo and Wanda. Once we do that, all the rest will fall into place."

                                                            ----------------------------

(Timmy Turner's house, the basement, 9:45 a.m.)

            Lorelei grinned to herself. Beelzebub, she loved the Turner's house! Free satellite because the satellite company was dead and she engineered it herself, not to mention her girlfriend. Okay, so Vicky was only her girlfriend because she'd brutally murdered her fiancé, Mark, but still. She wasn't complaining…much.

            Little, putrescent Timmy Turner had slipped from her grasp again. If she didn't know any better, she'd say Tootie was keeping her from doing him in. The poor deluded fool still had feelings for him. No matter how hard she tried to convince her men were slime and not worth her time, Tootie continued to love him and take his abuse. Sometimes the girl just made her sick.

            Now Vicky, on the other hand, was a completely different matter. Vicky was delightfully sour on males since Lorelei had brainwashed her before she killed Mark. In fact, it was Vicky who had done him in, a delightful twist. If only Tootie were as easy to manipulate as her sister was....

            Ah, but never mind that. She had to remind her slaves Chester and A.J. to feed the goldfish (who resembled Cosmo and Wanda so absolutely it had taken Timmy nearly a month to discover who they really were, their anti fairy counterparts) and visit the real Cosmo and Wanda. After all, they had to be kept alive for a while, just in case Timmy hurt Tootie again.

            Cosmo and Wanda were the greatest surprise to Lorelei. She couldn't believe that such a cruel kid who genuinely appeared to like wounding Tootie possessed such stupendous assets. Of course, as soon as she'd met them, she'd seized them at once. They were still alive, albeit much weaker without their wands and locked in a closet with Crocker.

            But Crocker, as predicted, had gone mad with power and eventually uttered a spell that wiped his mind clean too thoroughly, rendering him unable to function. Cosmo and Wanda didn't know that, however, and he still snapped at them every once in a while. It was always good to have checks and balances.

            Now she thought it was high time she visited Cosmo and Wanda and informed them just how much their godchild was going to suffer. She thought it was her duty to inform them and besides, she reveled in their reactions. They were so protective over their precious godchild, the dick who hurt Tootie.

            They were there, huddled in the rags she'd conjured up for them, both glaring at her hatefully. However, she wished Wanda wouldn't glare like that, she thought the pink fairy was pretty cute. Maybe she'd kill Cosmo first just so she could comfort Wanda.

            "Good morning, the beautiful and charismatic Wanda and cram it, frinch," Lorelei greeted them, sitting down next to Wanda, tied to a post.

            Cosmo shot daggers at her with his eyes but could do little else because he was gagged. Frinch was a derogatory term for a fairy godfather and among Lorelei's favorite terms for him. He wasn't entirely certain where she'd learned it, but probably from one of her dark magic books.

            "What do you want?" Wanda asked, guarded. She was aware that her reactions gauged the treatment Timmy received and, although she couldn't be there to protect him and ensure his health, if she cooperated with Lorelei, perhaps she'd spare his life. Sometimes, when she saw Timmy on the videos The Other would show to boast, she wanted to cry for all the horror she put him through.

            "Oh, nothing, really. I just wanted to make you were all right, that's all. Oh, and I want you to kill Timmy for me. That way, I know he's dead and he doesn't make the mistake of escaping like he has the last three times." Lorelei tossed a fireball up and watched it burn Cosmo's face. The green fairy would scream, but his power of speech had greatly degraded over the years and he was only capable of whispering.

            Wanda watched him wince and wished she could do something. If only she could talk to him on a mental level- but no, there was no such thing as telepathy here. For four years, she hadn't heard him speak and it pained her. And, for four years as well, he'd suffered abuse at the hands of Lorelei, including an attempt to burn him alive. (Wanda had to scream and threaten to kill herself for Lorelei to put him out).

            Glaring at her, Wanda whispered dangerously, "And, if we refuse?"

            "Then mister elevator music will be ripped apart slowly and painfully while you watch helplessly," Lorelei replied in the same dangerous tone. "And, if you're lucky, you'll be bathing in his blood."

            Cosmo gazed over at her, his eyes pleading for mercy. Wanda didn't know quite what to say to him. What could she say? I'm sorry, sweetie, but my godchild is more important to me than the man I love? How could she make a decision like that?

            "Tick, tock. Time is slipping away, my dearie. Make your choice and make it now, or else I might just kill Cosmo anyway, for kicks. Then you won't get the opportunity to make love to him one last time," Lorelei teased. She did not intend to let Cosmo get that close to Wanda, but it never hurt to dangle a promise over a gullible person's head and expect them to believe it. After all, some people did it all the time.

            "And what if you kill him after I agree?" If only she were a few feet closer to Cosmo and she could hold his hand…He looked like he were about to start sobbing any second. God, she'd die just for an embrace, one embrace!

            "And what if you're only planning to go and pretend to kill Timmy when I know you're not? What if you're just using it as a rouse to get closer to him and be with him? Why don't you shut up with the what-ifs?" Lorelei snapped and slapped her so hard Wanda heard the crack and felt her nose break.

            Cosmo screamed soundlessly and tears streamed down his face. With all his power, he focused on the chains binding him to the concrete pole. Fairies could do magic without wands, but it took a lot of effort to do white magic. Just a little more…

            "Frinch!" Lorelei bellowed and Wanda whimpered. Tears cascaded down her face as well; she knew what Lorelei was going to do. There was only one way to stop her.

            "Kill me instead," Wanda begged and she turned. "You heard me. Spare Cosmo and kill me instead. Just let him live."

            An odd look crossed The Other's face and she bit her lip in confusion. Wanda seemed genuine in her request, but, without her, Cosmo was useless. Why would she grant her a request like that? The only fairy on her side would be that buffoon and he'd be a shell of a fairy, anyway.

            "I'm begging you…" Wanda whispered, her tears splattering the floor. "If you have any bit of Tootie left in you, any bit of humanity left in you, spare them and kill me."

            Lorelei walked up to Wanda's pole and leaned into her (she and Cosmo were both propped up so they were at her height). She could practically taste the fear in her and she wanted it on her lips. For all those years of listening to Wanda bitch and moan about sparing Timmy, now she had a real way to pay her back.

            "Now, you know what, I think there is a way we can spare both Timmy and Cosmo. It starts with this," Lorelei kissed her roughly and felt her resistance, "and ends with this." She grabbed Wanda's hand and shoved it in her crotch.

            "Make love to me and I'll think about saving them. Refuse and things will get interesting and very painful, very quickly. Do we have an understanding?" Lorelei grinned at Wanda, squirming because of where her hand was.

            _Wanda!_ Cosmo screamed in his mind, knowing how futile it was but he couldn't help it. _Don't let her do that to you! Fight back!_

Sighing heavily and looking every bit her age, Wanda nodded. Lorelei pushed her hand further down and she wanted to both scream and throw up. She'd do anything for them, anything at all…she'd have to endure this.

            Meanwhile, still blubbering away, Cosmo had managed to erode his chains (and dissolve the gag) and they slipped off soundlessly. His eyes were on Wanda and he motioned that he would free her from this mess. She shook her head at him, knowing it would do no good. Crocker was still on that side of the basement.

            Wrapping her arms tightly about Wanda, Lorelei pressed her lips and her hips into hers. Her hands reached beneath her shirt and Wanda gagged, realizing she was about to grope her. _Cosmo, I don't know what insane plan you're hatching, but it's no good._

            He still floated, much to his surprise. Unfortunately, Crocker still noticed things, much to his dismay. He shifted position and growled, "Fairy!"

            "Shit!" Cosmo yelled and made a wild dive for Wanda. The dive was chancy but he managed to land on her pole. He was within an inch from touching her for the first time in four years. In fact, he was so close he could smell her.

            Scowling, The Other separated from Wanda and stood aside from her. Blood pounded in her head as she watched them cling to each other and kiss passionately. Cosmo was holding the back of her neck with his hands and caressing the small of her back through the chains.

            Transfixed by them, she simply watched them interact and Cosmo hold her tightly, well, as tightly as he could with the chains. There was something beautiful in their relationship and she was oddly reminded of her sire, who had begged her not to tie them up. Tootie had loved them upon seeing them and she could almost see why- they were so sweet to each other.

            Footsteps sounded behind her and she knew the reason for her hesitation. Tootie was behind her, frowning at the condition of Timmy's fairies. Cosmo was a little on the malnourished side and Wanda wasn't much better. Lorelei felt a surge of compassion for them and knew it was her sire, crying for them.

            "What are you doing here?" Lorelei snapped and Cosmo and Wanda stopped to look at them. It was probably a good thing Lorelei's attention was elsewhere because Cosmo was loosening her chains and freeing her. Both were mute and unnoticed except by the alternate Tootie, who kept her mouth shut.

            Meanwhile, watching through a low window, our Tootie and Cal lay low on their stomachs and observed everything. The alternate Timmy was wedged next to Toot and Cal was floating above them as a moth. However, since the window was only about the size of a small watermelon, they were rather cramped. Still, it was better than nothing.

            "I want you to stop!" Alternate Tootie cried. "You're trying to send Cosmo and Wanda to kill Timmy. I'd die if anything happened to him!"

            "After the way he's treated you? The last thing he deserves is mercy." Lorelei retorted and Timmy, looking in, was morose.

            Tootie, conversely, was fixated on her counterpart's appearance. This Tootie was identical to her in all but one way- a long diagonal gash spread from the bottom of her eyelid to her chin. That was weird, but perhaps Cal had healed the gash in her forehead. Still, that did leave the mystery of where the gash had come from…

            "Cosmo and Wanda…" Timmy whimpered beside her. He gazed at them wistfully. "What did she do to you?"

            "Where have you been?" Lorelei sneered. "This has always been to punish Timmy. Make him hurt for the times he's hurt you, make him pay. Hmm, forget killing Timmy, I have a better idea."

            "Don't," Alternate Tootie begged. "Leave them be. They love each other…"

            Still out of eyesight, Cosmo and Wanda floated uneasily down to the ground and clutched each other tightly. Wanda stroked Cosmo's face and Cosmo kissed her cheek. Their hearts beat frantically, especially Wanda's because she was pretty sure where Lorelei was going with this, the same vein she'd held before Tootie'd interrupted. There was no other option she could see other than to watch her beloved be murdered.

            "And what is love?" Lorelei countered and placed her hands on her hips. "Is it the kind Vicky proposed to give to me but she was really trying to save Mark? Is it what you feel for Timmy even though he treats you like shit? What is it, Tootie? Why don't you tell me?"

            Alternate Tootie shook her head. "Love is unconditional. Vicky never loved you, she loved Mark. And you made her kill him. You soiled her hands with his blood. You wonder why she committed suicide."

            "Vicky isn't dead!" Lorelei said with a gasp but Tootie nodded. "She couldn't be! I saw her-"

            "You saw an illusion thanks to Cal. He's barely alive himself, and that last spell did him in. You can't fix the past, but you're doing a hell of a job screwing up the future."

            "Bitch! You ungrateful, spoiled brat!" Lorelei hissed, trying to hide how much Vicky's death was really paining her. She wanted to scream in agony.

            "And I never asked for him to love me in return. After a while, I was just content to be there for him. I love him, Lorelei. My heart is him," Alternate Tootie whispered, watching her darker side fall apart emotionally from the loss of her girlfriend. Cosmo and Wanda, embracing each other, blinked away tears.

            "You killed her!" The Other howled and spun on her. "You bitch! You conniving, back stabbing bitch! You wanted her dead so I could lose focus. If she were dead, then I'd leave Timmy alone. Isn't that right, _my sire_?"

            "No!" Alternate Tootie sobbed, pained at the idea. "I'd never kill her! Even if I did hate her-"

            "So you admit you hated her."

            "No one who knew her could help it! She was a bitch!" Alternate Tootie said defensively. "Well, she was, up until you drugged her into sleeping with you and she fell for Mark."

            "Shut up about Mark!" Growing steadily angrier, Lorelei cast a spell that hoisted her sire up and pinned her to the wall. "I told you before, I don't give a shit about that stupid fucking alien who magicked himself into a human form and…"

            _Oh, no!_ Timmy, Alternate Tootie, and Tootie thought in unison. _She's seen Cosmo and Wanda!_

"What do we have here?" The Other crooned and advanced on them. They gazed up at her, eyes wide with fear. Tears streamed down their faces.

            "Please…" Wanda whispered. "Please…"

            "Please what?" Lorelei spat. "Myself, sure, sounds easy enough." She pointed a black, spinning ball at Cosmo. A relic of old dark magic, the ball slowly and painfully killed its intended target.

            "Stop!" Alternate Tootie screamed, also sobbing. "Leave them alone…"

            "I'm sick of your mouth!" Lorelei snapped and threw the ball at her sire. The girl screamed for a good ten minutes and then slumped, dead. A delicious trail of energy left Alternate Tootie's body, entering The Other's, and she grinned. Well, the girl was good for something.

            "Oh, God…" Tootie whispered and Cal turned into a dog to nuzzle her cheek. "She killed her…"

            "Tootie…" Timmy murmured, forgetting he was right next to a version of her. Tears slid down his face and it occurred to her that perhaps he'd felt something for that universe's Tootie and kept it well hidden. Now, of course, it was too late. She'd sacrificed herself to try to prevent Cosmo's death.

            "Now, then. Say goodbye a long beloved friend…" Lorelei drew back her arm to deliver another ball but Timmy snaked his way in through the window and fell into the basement. Tootie swore softly- what the hell did he think he was doing? That was suicidal!

            Timmy coughed up a little blood and winced. Okay, so maybe that wasn't such a brilliant move on his part. It was too late to do anything about it. But at least he could see Cosmo and Wanda, talk to them one last time.

            "Timmy!" Cosmo and Wanda cried in unison and, as a unit, rushed over to him. He enveloped them in a tight embrace and they rocked back and forth, tears streaming down their faces. If one of them was going to die, he reasoned, they all would. No more pain…

            "What am I supposed to do?" Tootie whispered to Cal. Lorelei was looking lethal. "I can't just watch them-"

            "This is your mission. You have to get in there and keep her from killing them," Cal murmured and licked her cheek. Sending his goddaughter into the line of fire, he felt like crap.

            "Are you insane?! That's stupider than what Timmy did!" Tootie retorted.

            "If you fail," Cal whispered, "you'll never see your Timmy again."

            "What if she kills me?" Tootie whispered back.

            "I'll keep her from doing that, if push comes to shove. Get out there, you haven't much time!"

            Sighing heavily, Tootie propelled herself through the glass just as Lorelei was about to separate Wanda from her family. She paused, extremely confused. She wasn't the only one- Cosmo and Wanda were befuddled too.

            "You were…you are…" Lorelei stammered and glanced over at her very dead sire. "Who the hell _are _you?"

            Tootie grinned despite herself. A cold, metal wand was in her hands and she knew it immediately- the transistor. How Cal had transferred it to her was beyond her, but it was the only thing she knew that could stop Lorelei. Even if all the other people Timmy cared about were dead now, she could keep Cosmo and Wanda safe.

            "Hi, I'm Tootie. You might know me from a few minutes ago, when you killed my counterpart. I've also starred in such films as saving Cosmo and Wanda and kicking your ass," She smirked at her.

            "My own sire can't even stop me. And, look, now she's rotting on the wall," Lorelei grinned. Timmy shuddered and Wanda stroked his cheek tenderly to comfort him.

            "Don't like that, do you? Another death on your head. Let's see, so that's your parents, Trixie, soon to be your fairy godparents, Vicky, all of Fairy World…" She grinned maliciously at him, glowering at Wanda who was still doing her best to calm him down.

            "Well, not both of them. I have a special plan for Wanda."

            Sick of listening to The Other brag, Tootie rushed her with the wand and it turned into a scythe. She just barely parlayed the advance. It was so narrow; her shirt tore at the shoulders.

            "What are you trying to do? Kill me?" Lorelei shrieked and produced a ball. Cal quickly created a strong shield, just in case.

            "A little slow on the uptake, aren't you?" Tootie smirked. "Yes, I'm trying to kill you!"

            Black balls swarmed her and she jumped nimbly, avoiding every single one. After enduring water balloons and Vicky's threats, she wound up being pretty fast on her feet. Now she had to lure the girl away before one of those balls accidentally did in one of them.

            "Your aim sucks!" Tootie taunted and darted up the steps. Lorelei, floating above the ground, followed, unable to poof herself ahead of her. A good thing she didn't or she would have realized Tootie wasn't nearly as cocky as she sounded. In fact, she was sweating profusely and her hands were so clammy, the transistor was about to fall.

            She led her through the house and out the door. Everything was going well until Tootie felt a sickening lurch in her heart and the world began spinning. Timmy…

            Cal floated over to her, looking very irritated. "What's going on? If you don't get moving, Lorelei will kill you!"

            "It's Timmy…" Tootie whimpered, her innards twisting. The world wouldn't stop spinning and she thought she was going to pass out.

            "The Timmy here is safe for now, but you need to get up or…You mean your Timmy, don't you?" Cal whispered and waved his wand, transporting them away from Lorelei, up into the alternate Tootie's room, covered in dust. Pictures of Timmy were up, though, and the only difference between her room and the one she was in currently was Timmy didn't have buckteeth. She hadn't noticed that before…and she wasn't about to now.

            "He's, oh, God! Cal…" Tootie whimpered and drew her knees to her chest. "This isn't…Fairy World…"

            "Fairy World?!" Cal said in surprise and then gasped. _No, they decided against it  in the version I saw. They must have changed their mind. Dear Lord, he'll be killed!_

Tootie! The weakest link came from Timmy, her Timmy, and she gasped. Time had passed differently in their world and three months had passed, apparently. Cal was trying to both freeze time and allow her to communicate with him on a better connection.

            Timmy? Tootie replied and felt the link strengthen. Cal strained to hold it and the time freeze. This was going to use up a lot of magic.

            Where have you been?! Timmy sent and she bit her lip. If only she could tell him…Damn Fairy World. Speaking of which, what were they doing to him? She only got the vaguest sense from him.

            Never mind that. What are they doing to you?! Tootie replied and wished she could do something to help Cal. He was growing paler and paler, all the magic being used to help her. The shield he'd conjured was fading fast.

            They…the pain…Lorenzo…(sob)

            TIMMY! Tootie screamed and flung herself into her mind room only to have Cal stop her. He couldn't handle this link and throwing herself that far would be too much for him to handle. She wanted to hold him so badly…

            Tootie, where are you? Tootie? Why did you leave me? Timmy sent, sounding so much like a lost child she began to cry.

            I had to! I was drafted to do something I didn't even want to do. God, I wish I could be there with you. Timmy, I love you and I don't want to be here!

            Then why are you? Come home. Timmy replied, angry.

            It isn't as easy as that and-

            "I can't hold the link and the break in time. I'm sorry, Tootie, but I have to sever it," Cal whispered and she glanced at him. Her eyes were brimming over with tears.

            "No. You can't! I need to talk to him! I don't know what's going on! Cal, for the love of God!" Tootie pleaded.

            I can barely hear you. There's so much static. What's the matter? What's going on over there? Dammit, Tootie, answer me!

            I- Tootie choked out before Cal severed the link and passed out on the floor. Time resumed and she was aware of how alone she was. She'd used up Cal's magic and, if she was in a life or death situation, she'd die here. Could things _get _any worse?

            "Hello, Tootie," The Other sneered and shoved the door open. Tootie shivered, The Other bore her likeness. It was like being hunted by herself.

            "I see your fairy is dead. Pity." Lorelei advanced and Tootie, wiping her face, glared at her. She moved in front, protecting him with her body.

            "He isn't dead. He's just unconscious." Tootie snapped and the transistor became a foreign object in her hands. She didn't recognize it at all but apparently, Lorelei did because she gasped and backed up. Hmm, it looked like an item of Vicky's.

            "Where did you get _that_?!" Lorelei demanded and paled. Retreating a little more, she reached a poster of Timmy and tore it down. Evidently, she'd remembered Tootie had lured her here.

            _What the hell is this? It looks like nothing more than a stick of lipstick…but…_Pulling it out of its holster, Tootie discovered what it truly was.  A roll of pictures with Vicky and Lorelei, both grinned at the camera. Lorelei kissed Vicky on the cheek and Vicky roped a possessive arm around the other girl's waist. Another shot showed Lorelei pretending to lift up Vicky's shirt and Vicky playfully batting her off. But, her counterpart said that Vicky had loved Mark- this didn't add up.

            "Stop!" The Other begged and, to her surprise, her eyes filled with tears. "Vicky loved me too…"

            "She was bi?" Tootie asked, looking over the pictures. It certainly seemed that way. But why would she be so happy with her lover's assassin? In all the shots, they beamed at the camera.

            "Yes." The Other said simply and shook her head. "I thought Vicky burned those…"

            "Why?" Tootie asked innocently and the transistor, separate from the pictures, turned into a replica of Vicky. Something really odd was going on here...

            "Because we were a couple before Mark came. Everything would have been fine if he had just stayed on Yugopotamia! And things would have been fine if we hadn't gotten drunk and I forced her to have sex with me.

            "I didn't mean to!" Lorelei screamed and threw herself down at the mercy of the transistor version of Vicky. The projection only scowled at her in response. "I'm so sorry, Vicky…"

            "Vicky liked you?" Tootie said, very puzzled. "Why? You look like me and you came from my counterpart. That's like incest…"

            "Vicky didn't think so. I was evil enough for her. I made her happy. Well, I used to.  Then she got really depressed after I forced her into something she wasn't ready for and I made her kill Mark after she got involved with him. She started to hate me and I struck out at anything I could. That's why I killed the fairies- I thought it would prove something to her. That I'd do anything to protect her, to protect _us_."

            Tootie shuddered. She sounded like Lorenzo with Timmy. The only thing was, Vicky had once liked her back. Lorelei had become desperate to hold onto their failing relationship and did more than Vicky would ever do. Because, no matter what, no matter how Vicky acted, Tootie knew she'd draw the line at a massacre. The Other had no sense of morality and Vicky had killed herself because of it.

            "Because I loved her. I loved her more than life itself. I would do anything to make her happy. I even cut open Tootie's cheek because she wouldn't tell me why Vicky hated me."

            "So it was you?" Tootie gasped and felt her own cheek, intact. Hearing someone else she didn't know say her name was creeping her out. She kept thinking it was her, despite the fact she knew it wasn't.

            "Yes, it was me. Vicky hated Timmy and so do I. I always admired her, she was such a bitch to him. Then, when my sire started to realize how much he deserved that treatment, she let me out by accident. She just wanted to make him suffer a little. I made him suffer a lot, all that he had to.

            "She said I took things too far. She said I shouldn't have tried to kill him. My sire hated my theft of Cosmo and Wanda and my using them to threaten Timmy. She grew distant and cold. I delighted in it- that meant she could join me and Vicky.

            "But no, it didn't mean that. It meant she'd go to any lengths to protect Timmy, whom she still foolishly loved. It meant she tried to kill me for making him watch all his loved ones die. For a while, I found it amusing that all her efforts to try to help Timmy wound up hurting him more than if she'd just stayed out of it.

            "But there were complications. Wanda, for example, I grew unreasonably attached to her. I marveled that anyone could grow so fond of a spoiled brat like Timmy was. A shallow, selfish, spoiled brat. I stopped planning assassinations for Timmy just so I could see how Wanda would react to what I _was _planning. She hated me, of course. I loved it, I fed off her hatred.

            "But things got boring. I couldn't keep pretending to kill Timmy, I wanted him dead. My sire was becoming a whiny twit and I couldn't stand her either. And Vicky was growing frigid to me. I had to speed things up.

            "So I killed Chester and A.J. in front of Timmy. I watched him scream and cry, a fifteen year old, crying. Can you imagine it? It was the sweetest thing I'd ever seen."

            Tootie scowled. Already she had a strong loathing for her and the way she idly scarred Timmy was beginning to piss her off. If she weren't waiting for Cal to wake up, she'd already have that transistor halfway embedded in her chest.

            "And I threw as many high level spells as possible around. I killed everyone within a twenty-mile radius. The only people left were Crocker, Vicky, my sire, and the fairies, Cosmo, Wanda, and Cal. Vicky wasn't impressed with my spellwork, though, she found it and me revolting. She recoiled even more at my touch and called me a monster.

            "Then again, that's nothing compared to what Wanda called me. I showed her videos of my torture of Timmy and she spat in my face. But Wanda's loathing was amusing and sexy. She was adorable when she was screaming at me for hurting Timmy."

            The transistor shot off another item, this time the same weapon Timmy would have used to kill Cosmo and Wanda. A note came with it and it said curtly, "Now." She understood.

            Lunging forward, the bronze sword caught her in the midback and Lorelei gasped, tears streaming down her face. Her fingers stretched out to cradle the projection of Vicky and hold her in her arms one last time. However, just as she reached her, it vanished and Lorelei, sobbing, rasped for breath.

            Tootie let go of the sword, stunned at what she'd done. The bloodstains spread over her back and she realized, with a dull horror, she'd impaled her. She'd committed murder…

            The Other slumped over, dead. The instant she died, Cal regained consciousness. He looked over at her and at Tootie, who was sitting there, shell-shocked.

            "You did it!" Cal cheered. Then, he looked closer. "What's the matter? That's your mission, to either stop them physically or stop them mentally. This world was too far gone to-"

            "My mission is to kill people?!" Tootie shrieked and bit her lip, trying her hardest not to cry. Cal walked over to her (still a little too weak to float) and held her. She clung to him.

            "Stop them anyway you can. The Other isn't a person…" Cal rationalized. "It's an evil-"

            "She certainly seemed like a person! She loved like one, she cared about Vicky like one, she suffered like one. God, I killed someone!" She cried and Cal turned into a teenager to try to do a better job of comforting her. As it was, it was more like a child consoling her, what with the height difference.

            "Tootie?" Timmy said softly and walked in, Cosmo and Wanda floating above him. He'd followed her at a safe distance and seen the fight from the door frame. She blinked away tears and shook her head.

            "You're not…you're not my Timmy!" Shaking her head again firmly, she pulled away from Cal and stood to face him.

            "I can be," Timmy said softly and strode up to her. They were within an inch of each other. "You don't need to go home, you can stay with me. I'll take care of you."

            "No, I need-" Tootie began but was cut off. This Timmy was wrapping his arms around her and kissing her passionately, desperately. Although sparks flew, an odd sensation like oil and water being mixed grew and she thought this could have something to do with the fact he wasn't _her _Timmy. So, as strongly as she might be attracted to him and she was, she couldn't act upon those feelings.

            Cosmo and Wanda shook their heads and Wanda, minus a wand, put her hands on their foreheads, breaking the kiss. She frowned at her godson. Even if he loved her counterpart, this Tootie was a different matter altogether.

            "No." Wanda said firmly and pulled him away from her. "You can't have any relations with her. She isn't your Tootie and she will never be. She belongs in her universe and you belong here. I'm sorry, Timmy."

            Cal nodded and floated next to Tootie, who was overwhelmed with the recent events. His poor goddaughter…

            Cosmo grinned at Timmy. "Yeah, you horny bastard."

            Wanda hit him in the arm and his face fell. "What did I say?"

            Tootie managed a weak smile and glanced at Cal. "Time to go?"

            "Yes. If we find a Tootie that's alone in her world and her Timmy has died, we'll tell you and bring her here. That's the best we can do," Cal said sadly and watched Wanda chew Cosmo out.

            "Okay," Timmy said, resigned to his fate and smiled at Cosmo. "I'm not that horny, Cosmo. But we'll see if any of those stores around still have a Playboy intact."

            "Over my dead body!" Wanda said angrily. "You don't need those kinds of magazines!"

            "Well, if his only girlfriend will be his hand-" Cosmo began and Tootie laughed.

            Wanda hit him in the stomach and commenced to give him the talking to of his life. Timmy shrugged helplessly and glanced at Tootie. These are my godparents, he seemed to say, and I love them with all my heart, but they're insane!

            "Um, shake hands?" Timmy said and proffered his. Tootie went scarlet and shook her head. Cosmo's comment had gotten to her.

            "I don't…I mean...ugh…" Tootie stammered.

            "My hand didn't go anywhere you need to worry about. It was in my pants, sure, but I was fiddling with a yo-yo in my pocket. See?" He produced it and she went even redder.

            "Yeah…we need to go." _Before I die of embarrassment. _

            "Yes, she's right. Goodbye, you three. Don't do anything dangerous." Cal said and he and Tootie walked out, leaving them to quibble amongst themselves. Timmy called his goodbye and listened to his godparents argue.

            "He is not looking at pornography!" Wanda yelled and Tootie tripped on the stairs. Cal grinned at her slyly and she blushed again.

            "Are you okay there, Toot?" Timmy teased and she nearly fell over. "I think what Wanda meant to say is-"

            "I didn't mean to say it that loudly…" Wanda muttered sheepishly.

            "Well, would you like to look too?" Cosmo asked.

            "NO!" Wanda screamed and Tootie, recovering, laughed all the way out the door. Cosmo was trying to placate Wanda by explaining just what the girls inside looked like and she sounded like she was going to make him into a pinup- as in, up on the wall so she could nail him there and leave him hanging.

            However, as they walked back to the library, Tootie sighed, the humor leaving her. She'd killed a version of The Other and, even though it was her mission, she still was miserable. What would the new universes offer? What would happen to her?

            And, on that note, what happened to her Timmy? She hated being out of the loop. _I guess I'd better get used to it. I'm not going to see him for a long time…Timmy…_

"Hey, you did a good job all by yourself," Cal said softly as they neared the steps. "And it was your first time."

            "How many of them will I have to kill?" Tootie muttered. "Before I can go home?"

            "They wouldn't tell me. Don't worry about it just yet. You have a greater problem. You must remain a virgin."

            "That's ridiculous! Why wouldn't I be one? I want to stay pure for my Timmy!" Tootie retorted.

            "It's not ridiculous. If Cosmo and Wanda weren't there and I wasn't either, you two would have gone further than kissing-"

            "No, we wouldn't have!" Tootie said, her hands balling into fists. "I'm not a slut, Cal!"

            He sighed heavily. "I didn't say you were. But you will always be attracted to Timmy, no matter what version. It is imperative that you remain a virgin or else things will get very tricky."

            "Why?" Tootie countered, hands on her hips.

            "I can't tell you that."

            "Why don't you get all the things you can't tell me out of the way so I won't waste my time later waiting for a response?" Tootie snapped, exasperated.

            "I'm serious, Toot." He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "You can help the alternate Timmys, but if you get into a sexual relation with any of them, things will get catastrophic. You must remain pure. Do you understand?"

            "Yes but why?"

            Cal sighed. "Ever heard of 'don't ask, don't tell'?"

            "Yeah."

            "Don't ask because I can't tell you."

            Tootie scowled and forced the doors of the elevator open. They were reaching their 'magic bus' and it was time to depart from her first mission. What would await her, she didn't know, but, for now, she thought she'd like to sleep for a good long time.

            Cal held up his wand and, as soon as they were inside, closed the doors and conjured up a pillow for her. He knew she wanted to sleep and it was the healthiest thing for her to do right now. She needed to work out what had just happened in her subconscious and come to terms with it on her own.

            The last thing Tootie thought before she drifted into a troubling slumber was, _You must remain a virgin…_

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	2. Ruthless Fabrication

Author's Note: Just to make sure you're aware of this, but Loreto is bigoted. Please bear in mind this is a character of mine and not a portrayal of my own opinions. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairly Oddparents or any characters/ideas associated with it. I own the ideas introduced in the spinoff and The Other Saga, however. So don't take them!

Chapter Two: Ruthless Fabrication

Cal glanced at his goddaughter worriedly. She didn't seem to be having pleasant dreams at all and he wondered if they were premonitions or her conscious suffered pangs. In either instance, she should get over it soon because if she didn't, she'd have a hard time doing her job- Fairy World's assassin.

He'd sat there, unable to speak because he was a ghost during the proceedings and not even a powerful one, either. Just barely able to project himself, he was forced to sit idly and listen to Fairy World and Jorgen in particular dictate Tootie's "missions". They hadn't explained why Tootie was required for the job or why it had to be done now. Simply put, they'd told him one thing- she's your problem and gave him a list of rules.

Tootie mumbled in her sleep something about Timmy and his heart went out to her. He knew what it was to miss your beloved and never see them again. He knew what true loneliness was. This painful truth he'd discovered the hard way, he didn't wish this state on his worst enemy, much less his innocent goddaughter.

Not that she was too innocent any more- murder can hardly be called innocent, no matter how you qualified it. Tootie was only eleven in her world and already she'd committed an act her sister, even as Icky Vicky, would never do. She'd taken a life and her stability had taken a hit. He wasn't sure how Fairy World expected her to adapt suddenly to a cold-hearted murderer when she was a sweet child by nature. However she reacted, it would still be his quandary, ultimately. All he could do was pray she'd recover and live to fight another day.

A few years rolled away from her frame and her height. This universe's Timmy was only fourteen and it was easier to remove two years from her age than to restart from age eleven and work up three. However, the only noticeable change aside from height was her chest, deflating a little. Her clothes were too large for her and he adjusted it, making note to find a good fashion she liked instead of the same tiresome outfit.

They were almost there, but this didn't comfort Cal. He preferred to leave Tootie to her dreams, gruesome though they might be. They were infinitely better than reality, whatever reality they randomly chose. If only she could remain in dream world for a little longer…

"Tootie?" Cal whispered, shaking her awake too shortly for his tastes. She looked so forlorn and vulnerable he wished he could have raised an objection during the proceedings yet again. Nevertheless, the past was the past and he had to accept it, just as he had to accept the death of his beautiful but sickly Daniela. Still, if he ever saw her again, in any universe, he knew he'd risk life and limb to rescue her. However, he conceded that this wasn't _his _mission and resigned himself to his fate.

"I don't wanna…Timmy…I love you…save me…" Tootie whispered, tears rolling down her face. Cal shook her a little harder and she fully awoke, staring at him.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Cal replied in a murmur. She was still staring and it was beginning to unnerve him.

"You've never called me that. Why are you doing it now?" Tootie said, standing and narrowing her eyes. Damn, he should have realized she'd be on the defensive more readily now.

"I thought you could use-" Cal began but she cut him off. Angry tears sparkled in her eyes and she folded her arms across her chest.

"What? To be babied? Gee, thanks, Cal!" Tootie snapped. "Just because I killed someone doesn't mean I need your pity! Why don't you just stay out of this? It's your goddamned fault for getting me involved! Why couldn't you just go to someone else? Why?!"

"It wasn't my choice!" Cal snapped defensively. "I didn't want you to go, you've suffered enough as it is. I wanted you to stay with Timmy. I wanted you to be happy, Tootie."

Swallowing the bile in her throat, she wrapped her arms around her knees and fought the flood of tears. She knew she shouldn't blame Cal for this- he was her godfather and he loved her. Nonetheless, he was the only one around she could vent to and she needed to work out what had happened. Her dreams hadn't helped in the slightest with that- all they were was her making love to Timmy, different Timmys in different universes.

"I won't call you that if you don't want me to," he said finally and she shook her head.

"I don't know what I want. I just want out of this crazy 'mission'. I want to see my Timmy and hold him to my chest and-"

The elevator dinged and both jumped, startled. They were there, wherever there was. It was time for her twenty-four hours to begin.

Another reminder of her fate awaited them when the doors opened- a stark library, barely furnished. Only a few books were on the shelves, bland books written by terrified authors. They contained inoffensive banter and the slimmest insight into what she had ahead of her. In fact, all three appeared to be heavily censored, so much so that Tootie was strongly reminded of the George Orwell book, "1984".

"Cal? I know this sounds weird, but I think I can feel Crocker," Tootie whispered and Cal, disguised as a cat, bit her ankle to get her attention. A large camera was attached to the ceiling and it recorded their every movement. Unlike the cameras Tootie had seen all over her town before Vicky was 'defeated' by The Other, her version at any rate, it had a large "L" on it. Another world where The Other had chosen a name beginning with "L", she wondered briefly why it was so popular.

((I think we'd better get out of here,)) Cal sent and she jumped again. Since when did he communicate via telepathy? She thought that if his true love were dead, he'd be unable to. That's what had happened in the What-If spell.

Unfortunately, since her true love was in a universe far from here, she was unable to reply. Instead, she nodded and the camera zoomed in on her. God, it gave her the creeps. Could it detect magic? If it could, what did it mean for the rest of civilization?

When they were "safely" outside, Cal shuddered and glanced over at an enormous building with barred windows. It loomed impressively in front of them and a gigantic gargoyle topped it. He felt an ominous presence coming from it as well the sensation that a fairy was formerly that gargoyle. Yet another sensation, there were people and fairies in there.

"We have to go inside," Tootie whispered, fighting her curiosity as to why Cal suddenly had such strong telepathy. "Timmy could be in there."

"And so could Daniela," Cal murmured, barely audible. His eyes shone intensely and he grinned despite himself. This was serious, yes, he knew that. But Daniela was here! Even if she wasn't the one he lost, it was still her. (In his excitement, he hadn't realized he was sounding exactly like his goddaughter).

Noisy, white helicopters flew overhead and Tootie understood they were photographing her as well. It seemed whoever ruled the world here ruled absolutely. Activities could not be carried on without being strictly monitored. Well, now she was glad she experienced Vicky's tyranny, however short it had been.

"Halt!" A white, uniformed man commanded. _He looks like a Navy seal, _Tootie thought. _And his outfit is so pristine. But why doesn't it seem like he's entirely human?_

Cal, a ribbon in her hair, clung to it, his elation temporarily forgotten. ((I think he's part fairy. But that wouldn't happen unless they're being forced to breed. Otherwise, fairies and humans have little contact of that nature if any at all.))

"Forced to breed?" Tootie repeated in a murmur. "But why?"

"You are trespassing on Loreto's territory. State your name, objective, and mate." Now that Cal mentioned it, she could see the glimmers of an orange crown on his head. But fairies and humans forced to mate? That was horrible! What about the ones who didn't want to? Fairies only thought of humans as their godchildren- what if they had to raise one and then procreate with them? That was sick!

"Um…" Tootie fumbled and rolled her eyes up to see if Cal had any ideas. If she bolted for the door, she had a shot of making it without being caught. However, if he did call for backup (and she could see a line of guards behind the fence surrounding the building), she'd surely be killed. If they were part magic, they had an advantage over her, who couldn't use magic at all unless her Timmy was there too.

"Now!" The guard growled and produced a stun gun. "I have strict orders not to permit any non-personnel past. What's your number, drone?"

_Number? How am I…improvise. Great. That's just what I wanted to do, waste my time improvising instead of finding and disabling this universe's The Other. _

_Loreto? Sounds like whoever is coming up with names that start with 'Lore" is running out of them and had to use another source. At any rate, I only have twenty-four hours and they started as soon as I got out of the elevator._

"My number is…666?" Tootie said, unsure and Cal mentally slapped his forehead. 666? What the hell was she thinking? If any one had that number, it wouldn't be her counterpart.

"No, that's Vicky's number. We have high hopes for her. She's Loreto's mate and she's already pregnant," The guard informed them and Tootie involuntarily shuddered. Vicky pregnant? Prone to mood swings and the like? Oh, dear Lord.

"Um…I'm 665?" _The odds of me getting the right number are against me. I really should stop guessing. But as long as I stall him, I have a chance of making it through alive. I only wish Cal would stop shooting me dirty looks._

"No, that's Trixie Tang. She's Timmy's mate. We think she's close to the potential of Vicky. If something should happen to Vicky, she'll be next in line."

_How comforting. Wait, Timmy's mate? Timmy's having sex with her? NO! _"Um…14?" Tootie guessed, hoping this was correct because she doubted she had an unlimited amount of attempts and he'd be weary of her soon. This had to be something she was born with and if she didn't know, he would probably hoist her off to a public assassination at dawn.

"That appears to be correct," The guard said and she sighed in relief. Perhaps the fates would smile on her at last and she wouldn't have to do what she dreaded. Perhaps he'd just surrender or something.

"Your mate?" The guard asked and a figure wearing his normal pink hat and pink t-shirt approached them. His clothes were in tatters, his eyes bloodshot, his arms and legs littered with cuts and gashes, and his nose was off-center. No pink and green animals or items accompanied him.

"Timmy…" Tootie whispered and the alternate Timmy's face lit up. She could see the longing in his eyes and his body movements. But if Trixie was his mate, why was he unhappy? The last version of Timmy she'd encountered had risked his life for a shot at Trixie. Then again, perhaps this one wasn't nearly as shallow and careless.

"What do you want, 232?" The guard scowled and searched for a name. "Timothy McBadbat."

_What?! He's Timmy Turner, average fourteen-year-old boy with those nice, long bangs and clear blue eyes you could stare into for days and never get tired. Uh, what was my point?_

Eyes downcast, Timmy muttered, "I wish to confer with 14, Tootie." So they had to give the number and then the name? What if they didn't know the number as she hadn't? Would they be outcast?

"Hmm." Biting his lip, the guard pondered his request. "All records indicate 14, Tootie, died not too long ago. She was pregnant with number 458, Chester's, child. If you claim to be number fourteen, you must be lying because-"

Alternate Timmy darted forth and grabbed her by the wrist, leading her to a dilapidated house; all boarded up save for a single entry of a side window. Meanwhile, behind them, the guard still babbled on. Oh, well, at least she was out of trouble- for now.

He led her through it carefully and she comprehended that the care he exercised was probably because he believed her to be 14, her counterpart. (Although if that was true, he really needed to get his eyes checked because she was positive she wasn't pregnant). Hmm, she liked this Timmy far more than the previous one- this one seemed to concern himself more with her well being.

Timmy, once they were inside, sighed in relief and hugged her tightly. She was surprised to find out that not only did a pleasant warmth spread through her body, but also he felt almost exactly like her Timmy. There was no oil mixing with water here or any other friction. If this was true for more than her Timmy, this lack of friction and nearly overpowering attraction, she could see why Cal deigned it necessary to warn her.

"I thought you were dead!" Alternate Timmy cried in astonishment and pulled her close for a kiss. She responded immediately, not by recoiling like she knew she should have, but by leaning into the kiss. He tasted a little of melons and sweet things and she wanted him badly. If she couldn't have her Timmy, maybe he would do…

"Knock it off!" Cal snapped and held up his wand, effectively separating them. Both glared at him, until Tootie realized why he'd done so. She'd forgotten in the heat of the moment.

"Who are you?" Timmy asked politely and glanced at Tootie's abdomen. She tried to indicate to him that she wasn't nor would ever be at that age, pregnant, but, since this was Timmy she was dealing with, he wasn't quite getting it. Damn, how she'd kill to have telepathy right now…oops, bad choice of words.

"I'm not pregnant!" Tootie burst out (Cal mentally slapped himself again). "I never have. I'm not your Tootie! Stop staring at me like that!"

"Are you sure?" Timmy asked and both parties slapped themselves this time. "I mean-"

"I'm positive!"

"Can you check? I mean, I know women's breasts swell when they're-"

"I'm sure!" Tootie screamed, beet red. "For the love of God, I'm still a virgin! I'm not your Tootie!"

"Then who are you?" Timmy asked, frowning. "An imposter? And what are you doing with a fairy? Fairies aren't allowed to socialize with humans unless it's for mating purposes. I only got to see my fairy godparents for a few days before Loreto stole them from me…"

"I'm from another universe," Tootie explained, already knowing she'd grow weary of this in a few more days. God, she needed a nametag.

"Prove it." Timmy said, folding his arms across his chest. "Prove you're not my Tootie."

"If I'm correct, this universe's version of me, uh, my counterpart, was never yours to begin with. Your mate, according to the guard, is Trixie. How do you even know me, I mean, my counterpart?" _Confusion must be contagious._

Pacing the living room (why had it taken her so long to recognize this as Timmy's house?), Timmy glanced unseeingly at the boarded windows. He sighed and didn't speak directly to her. She had the feeling he was slowly unhinging.

"Number fourteen or Tootie, as I knew her, wasn't pregnant with Chester's kid. She was pregnant with mine. That's why I was so concerned when you were getting in here. This was where we used to hide from the world, if you could call it that.

"It was our private place, our home. It's where I met and fell in love with her. It's where we first made love-"

"Made love?" Tootie cried, stunned. "You're only fourteen and she's, I mean, she was, only thirteen! That's way too young, you guys were barely teenagers!"

Timmy laughed darkly. "You know what they do to girls who don't get their periods by age sixteen? They kill them. The sooner humans are of use to Loreto, the better. Girls are forced into it as soon as their bodies can handle a baby. And don't get me started on boys."

"That's horrible!"

He chuckled darkly. "Yeah, yeah, right. They do worse things to fairies. When humans are old and no longer virile, they incinerate them and, if Loreto feels they're full of nutrients, they're fed to babies as formula. Fairies, however, don't have that problem. Fairies are forced to live life spans far beyond humans and have as many children as he needs. That means they're constantly pregnant."

"Cosmo and Wanda…" Tootie whispered and settled down in the dust. Cal, pensive, rested on her shoulder. The thought of his beloved pregnant by another seemed to disturb him.

"Heh, I wish. Cosmo and Wanda aren't an official match, so they have to sneak around too. I only see them once in a while, like once a year. However, there are rumors that Wanda knows someone high up and they permit her to see him more often than normal. That someone also allows the pregnancies not identified as her mate's, number 626, Juandissimo, to pass. Cosmo, it's rumored, fathers all of her children. She really loves him."

Closing his eyes and imagining a better world, a world this Tootie must have come from, Timmy sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her. He couldn't help it; he didn't want to be separated from her again. Even if this wasn't his Tootie, it was still Tootie and he wanted to hold her forever.

Tootie clung to him, unnoticed by Cal who was pacing in midair. His arms were warm and powerful. Besides, she couldn't remember the last time her Timmy had held her like that. She'd felt so unloved…

Meanwhile, the alternate Timmy was going on about that world and its horrors. "People are born to work for Loreto. Fairies are born to defend him. It's either work for him or be killed. He monitors their activities and behavior- he knows what they're up to every second of every day.

"The reason the fairies are forced to breed with humans is because of height. Loreto wants strong humans with magic to defend him. That way, in case the messiah does come, he'll be prepared."

"Messiah?" Tootie murmured, realizing his face was only a few inches away from her own. God, this was the most control she'd ever exercised in her life, keeping herself from making out with him. His lips were so delectable; she wanted them so badly.

"His name, according to the fairies who knew him, is Jorgen Von Strangle-"

"Jorgen?!" Tootie cried in astonishment. No way could he be the savior of this world- he was the damnation of hers. It was he who had saddled her with this burden, he who ripped her from the arms of her beloved.

"Why? Do you know of him?" Timmy asked politely, running his fingers through her hair. Without realizing it, she was accepting him as her own Timmy. Okay, perhaps not as a replacement, but a surrogate, until she could be with the real one.

Anger raced through her veins at the thought of him. Timmy, her Timmy, had nearly died because of his negligence. There was absolutely no chance that he, with his rippling muscles and over inflated ego, could rescue this world. She had to think of something else. But what? What did she know about this world that would suggest a weakness?

Such a totalitarian society had to be corrupt at some point. If a fairy higher up could be persuaded into looking the other way while Cosmo and Wanda acted as they did, then someone else higher than he had to be as well. After all, her own government was a flaming despot, why shouldn't this one be? Any and all governments run by humans were bound to be flawed, humanity itself was.

Gunshots rang out causing all three to jump. Cal, nonetheless, failed to notice the alternate Timmy nuzzle Tootie affectionately, but now he was preoccupied with the apparent murders going on directly outside as were they. Why would they murder people in broad daylight? Why?

The alternate Timmy turned pale, separating himself from Tootie reluctantly. Balling his hands into fists, he scanned the room anxiously, searching for a quick escape route. There- right by the basement stairs, some poor deluded fool had punched a hole straight through. The window was too risky, especially because it sounded as though the justifications were occurring in front of it.

"C'mon," Timmy said urgently, wrapping his arms around Tootie. "We need to get out, they're doing the ritual of purification."

"Purification?" Tootie replied, wrinkling her nose in distaste. "That doesn't really sound like purification…"

At long last, Cal spotted their interaction and pried them apart with a stern telepathic warning to Tootie. After all, she was supposed to remain chaste- how was she to do that when she allowed any Timmy to put their hands on her? Of course, she didn't even recognize she was doing it, something that irked him to no end. Yes, he knew he was being a tad overbearing, but he didn't know what would happen if she did, in fact, sleep with a Timmy that wasn't her own. For all he knew, the worlds could collide and cause mass confusion. Or, nothing could happen. He just didn't know.

"What's the problem?" Timmy asked, trying to keep his tone polite for this society held great awe for fairies. After all, it was their head who could cure the world. If he aggravated any one of them when they had their powers and wand, who knew what would happen? He could have World War III on his hands.

"Tootie must retain her virginity," Cal said sternly, about to elaborate when a bullet tore through the walls. Timmy swore and grabbed Tootie by the hand. Now wasn't the time to argue with his logic, now was the time for action.

Biting back a scream, Tootie clung to Timmy as she watched A.J., tied to a tree, bound and gagged, shake due to the force of the M16s' bullets. No less than ten sharpshooters fired at him, reloaded, and fired again. She honestly didn't see how anyone could withstand that sort of brute force, much less an emaciated version of Timmy's friend.

Beside her, Timmy was ashen, motionless and mourning. Aside from Jorgen, they'd placed their hopes in him, especially since he wasn't what some dubbed an urban legend. Of the growing resistance, he was the only one possessing the ability to fool the government. So much for that.

"Bring out the second!" Loreto roared and Tootie got her first look at him. He too was spindly, but somewhat good-looking. Long black hair trailed down his back, ending at his elbows. Wearing a black business suit, the only sign he came from Crocker was the unique curvature of his spine. He gave her the creeps, actually.

Head hung low, Tootie could scarcely recognize the second individual until Timmy nudged her. The blonde hair was so long, it hid his face. Even so, she knew him when he looked up- Chester. But why would he…

"I want to know my charges!" Chester demanded, a necklace dangling. She had to squint to make it out, but she had a sinking suspicion it contained A.J.'s initials. Perhaps she'd finally gotten gaydar installed…

"Being counterproductive, having sex with another male, not to mention that this male was a nigger, not even worthy to shine my shoes-"

"Don't call him that!" Chester yelled, his fists balling like Timmy's. "He's a human being just like you. No, I take that back. You're not a human, you're a monster! You're sick, twisted and-"

"And you're dead," Loreto said calmly, fetching a gun from one of his assistants. "You blather on and on. A nigger is a nigger. They're lazy, good for nothing-"

"Liar! You freak! You're going to get yours, dammit! I swear to God, Jorgen will-"

"Oh, you believe in that _fairy tale?_ Tis a shame I can't be around to watch your faith break so utterly and completely, but, alas, I have so much time and so little to do. Strike that, reverse it. You're dead, nigger lover-" The Other began, but he was drowned out by Timmy, muttering threats beneath his breath and in his mind. So this world had telepathy as well. What could that mean for…Cal?

"Cal?" Tootie whispered urgently, her chest tightening in anxiety. "Where the hell did you go? C'mon, I can't do this alone!"

((Go around the back of the building. I think it's Daniela! God, I haven't seen her in hundreds of years. Quickly!)) Cal sent, delighted. Ripples of desire, longing, and exhilaration raced through and she knew him to be projecting. She wished he wouldn't, it made her miss Timmy like a ghost misses life. Besides, she had enough to deal with without Cal.

There was no time to communicate this to Timmy, so, instead, she snatched his hand, dragging him where Cal indicated they were. Many barriers stood in their way, including a surly guard, who, fortunately enough, was very weak in the genitals. All she had to do was knee him once and timber! God, when had she become so malicious?

An eerie silence fell over them upon entering. Fairies were in animal cages, piled up as high as the eye could see. The only way she could tell they were fairies was by the ones closer to the ground who still had remnants of wings, albeit never in use. Most looked just about ready to die, some pleading for it. Many of the females were pregnant, but, by their malnourishment, didn't seem as though they would live to see their forced offspring. The males were worse off, emaciated to the point where they could only blearily raise their head in acknowledgement.

It was in this state that they found Daniela, her cage close to the floor. Her mate had died recently, not Cal's reincarnation, just a no name fairy that never lived to accomplish anything. In fact, he was still there, decomposing. Tootie wrinkled her nose in disgust, but Timmy merely shook his head. This was what happened to dead fairies, no proper burial. If they were lucky, they got tossed over the fence for the feral animals to feed upon.

"Daniela!" Cal whispered, heedless of any guards that might be coming his way or that this wasn't his Daniela. He was acting just like Tootie, if only he knew it. Instead, he clasped the bars, pressing his face against her constraints.

"Cal?" Daniela murmured back, extending her hand out to caress his face. She remembered him, she was, after all, his Daniela. For years, she'd waited and survived, only on the hope that he might come and rescue her from this life. Everything she'd endured, it was worth it to see him again.

Tootie shuffled her feet anxiously; she was the unofficial lookout. Timmy hadn't told her anything of the guards, but he had told her how the supernatural creatures lived. Daily, they were fed worse than gruel, twice a day. If they weren't awake for their feedings, they were dumped on the floor in front of them, with the taunt that if they had their wands, they could reach it.

The suicide rate was about once a week. Mood detectors were installed on the tops of the cages, but, every once in a while, a particularly powerful fairy would discard of it, then, they would proceed to slash their wrists or beat their brains in. The only way to commit suicide was this, because the mood detectors sensed any depression and they were subject to a lobotomy.

Up, high above them, she thought she could make out the silhouette of Cosmo and Wanda, sneaking into each other's cages again. Apparently, since they were packed so closely together, some ingenious fairy, more than likely Wanda, had successfully corroded the metal, allowing them to visit. Juan condoned this activity, mostly because he was dead. Dead fairies tell no tales.

Collectively, she felt the captives turned to stare at them. Tears fell from their eyes, splattering on the floor, smattering her hair. If she thought she was miserable for this mission, she had to remember how truly morose they were, subsisting here. That was why she was chosen, she'd always put someone else, be it Timmy or another, above herself. No matter how she felt, she still had to help. It was just her personality.

Daniela indicated the lack of locks on her cage. Cages didn't need locks, they were sealed in there from their birth, their mate chosen then. They weren't even allowed to see their parents. Rather, they were removed as soon as the umbilical cord was cut; they were fed "formula" (ground up fairies/humans) until it was deemed they were too dependant; and, then, began their miserable existence. It made her heart hurt to think about it.

((We can't stay here for long. Wait, you have a wand?!)) Daniela sent, leery of any overheard conversation. The walls had ears- little video cameras littered them as well as tape recorders. Nothing was private, unless, like Cosmo and Wanda, you had someone on the inside who ensured they were dead and blind. Unfortunately, this was rare- they had to keep their mouths shut for the most part- this made Tootie wonder how AJ and Chester escaped "Big Brother" and communicated their plans to each other, without being spotted.

((Yes, why?)) Cal replied, quickly eradicating her prison for over a hundred years. To her, it was astounding- one wave of it and she could smell freedom. Freedom- a word used seldom because it indicated rebellion and all rebellion had to be snuffed out before it poisoned the well, so to speak.

((I thought those were only legendary. I mean, I remember everything of my past life, but it's hard to believe in such things as wands, godchildren, stuff that seems so ordinary to you, when your whole world consists of fucking your "mate".))

Such bitterness, it pained him to hear it. Drawing his arms around her, for the first time in hundreds of years, he tasted her lips. They proceeded to make out unabated until Tootie gasping, forced them apart. Company was coming.

"What the hell is going on?!" A baritone voice thundered as Timmy snatched her hand, leading her back out the way they'd come, Cal disguised as a cat, Daniela floating ahead of the brown-headed boy. More footsteps sounded, they gained speed. How much time did they have?

Weaving through long halls, the group picked their way through dead ends, forked ways, and the occasional detector. Shuddering deeply, Tootie sought to find the quick fix, the immediate exit. After all, she could all but feel their breath on her neck.

If they hadn't literally plowed into the exit, they never would have found it. Fortunately, Timmy recognized it for what it was and, quickly, they spurted outside, heading for the only safe zone they knew, his old house. Tootie was about to discover just how A.J. and Chester had met, fallen in love, and plotted together.

"We're safe!" Tootie panted, hands on her knees. Timmy shut the wooden cover, rapidly scanning the area just in case. No one knew that this old house had any entrances, it fell to him to maintain that. After all, he was the only one of the Three Amigos left.

"For now." Timmy folded his arms across his chest, watching Cal and Daniela cling to each other. They reminded him of Cosmo and Wanda, an idea he regarded with ambivalence. Cosmo and Wanda, on one hand, had given him this house, a relic of The Forgotten Age- when everyone had freedom, liberty, and the ideals the legendary Rebels had fought for. In their one day of rebellion, they'd created a utopia for him, what this horror was supposed. They'd shown him true heaven.

However, to the contrary, they'd tried to make him believe in the Messiah. The idea that there was a supremely powerful fairy held captive somewhere deep below Crockerdale was laughable. No fairy could defeat Loreto and none could ever hope to. This Jorgen Von Strangle was a fairy tale constructed by those who should know better. No salvation was coming. There was no hope at all.

Even as the Three Amigos, a plan concocted by A.J. passed on through the other hopefuls, including his beloved Tootie, he only half believed in it. True, the house was in existence thanks to Cosmo and Wanda, but what could they really do? Any real plans would be squashed upon conception, doomed to never to be executed. Still, they were dogmatic, insisting Loreto was human, with human fallibilities. In the end, they were the only ones with fallibilities-they fell in love.

Timmy had known from the beginning what a disaster this would be. Daily preaching, pumped in through the loudspeakers adjacent to the spy cameras, told them the atrocities such as; falling for someone not chosen as a mate (love), sleeping with someone not chosen (lust), clandestine meetings (rebellion), speaking of another ethnicity in terms of endearment (tolerance), and, last and foremost, having sex with another of the same gender (homosexual appetites). A.J. and Chester had broken every single one. Therefore, they became known as public enemies' numbers one and two- but remained a secret until Tootie's death.

The alternate Tootie, active until her disappearance and presumed death, was on a quest to locate the infamous tunnel that lead to Jorgen's capsule. As it turned out, she was the only one holding them together. When she vanished, A.J. and Chester were swarmed with guards, all of whom held death warrants for them. Loreto, granting them "pity", permitted them one last night together, not of a sexual nature, of course, because bars separated them, but a night to talk before their death.

What of Timmy? He, in an act of cowardice, hid until they were gone. True, he was out of his mind over Tootie, but that was no excuse. He berated himself repeatedly because of his stupid, moronic will to live. Unlike his two friends, he didn't want to be dead.

All of this he told her while Cal and Daniela flew off upstairs, to be alone, a mistake. Not for them, mind you, but for Timmy and Tootie. She shivered, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. The whole story gave her goose pimples that was until Timmy wrapped his arms around her.

"Stop…" Tootie murmured, gripping the transistor in her skirt pocket. _C'mon, show me my Timmy. I need to see him, dammit, because Cal's right. I can't help myself around any Timmy. That's the last thing I need, to anger Fairy World because I'm a slut for Timmy._

Obeying her subconscious, the transistor projected her Timmy as he was at the moment, fast asleep. But no, not asleep- unconscious. Above him, Cosmo floated, scowling. Her heart ached for him; silent tears streamed down her face.

Meanwhile, still clutching her to him, the alternate Timmy frowned. "So _that's_ your Timmy. What's with the silly pink hat?"

"Oh, yeah, you don't have one. It's…his parents gave it to him. And, since they died, he flat out refuses to stop wearing it. In my world, it's his trademark." For some bizarre reason, she thought watching her Timmy would be sufficient enough a deterrent for her to stop clinging to him, stop enjoying his heartbeat against hers. She wished she had some sort of immunity to other Timmys, but why would she? She didn't even have one against her own.

"Are you that eager to return to him?" Alternate Timmy frowned, running his hands up and down her arms to warm her up. He needn't have bothered, just being near him made her abnormally warm. In fact, delightful tingles coursed her body as he did so.

"He needs me!" Tootie refuted, yearning for a greater resistance but knowing none of the sort would come. "He's my Timmy and he…almost committed suicide because I wasn't there to stop him."

"Why? What's so bad about his life?" Alternate Timmy snapped, growing angry despite himself. This Timmy had freedom, fairies, school; the things of legends. He didn't have to worry about chosen mates, an overpowering government, or public shootings. As far as he was concerned, he didn't see what was so damn bad.

"Lorenzo…" Tootie whispered, shuddering at the thought of what the anti fairy could be doing right now, with only Cosmo as Timmy's defense. Timmy needed someone to watch out for him, to keep the bullies at bay, and, with his current condition, he was in no shape to do so. Still, whose business was it to mind him but hers? Did the alternate Timmy really have to know about it?

Timmy snorted derisively. "Yeah, uh-huh. Does this Lorenzo rule the world or just own it?"

In his arms, Tootie stiffened. _Don't insult my Timmy. _"Neither. He hurt my Timmy-"

"Aw, did he get a boo-boo? Did his fairy kiss it and make it all better?"

Quivering with rage, she was finally able to remove herself from his grasp. No one insulted her Timmy and got away with it, not even Icky Vicky. Besides, he obviously didn't know what he was talking about (ignorance was no excuse). It was time to educate him.

"Nothing that happened to him is as bad as anything I have to live with each and every day." Alternate Timmy stood as well, glaring at her with his eyes narrowed. _He doesn't have to live with the guilt that he might have been able to keep his best friends from being killed, or at least join their ranks. That would have been a noble death, instead of what I did. I took the chicken's way out, and I'm paying the price._

Drawing her hand back, she slapped him so hard he collapsed onto the floor; there he sat, peering up at her, aghast. He hadn't realized, since his Tootie had never an opportunity to illustrate it, the loyalty and devotion she had. It temporarily stunned him into submission.

"You wouldn't understand," Tootie hissed, her eyes glued to the projection of her Timmy, tossing and turning. "You- Timmy nearly killed his fairy godparents because he thought The Other, Lorenzo, was right. That he could just get his parents back like that.

"And, while he was training, Lorenzo molested him every night. He starved him, forced him to perform sexual favors on him, and turned him into a cold blooded killing machine.

"So don't you dare tell me your life is worse. I'm not in the mood to say, 'oh, look, your life is so much worse than my Timmy's, I'm going to jeopardize everything I have just so I can be with the copy of the person I fell in love with!'. If you want that, why don't you go with Trixie. I hear she's offering a special on heartbreaks," Tootie said venomously.

Mouth agape, Timmy merely peered at her. Whoa, what a backbone. It was hard to believe that she was Vicky's sister in any universe, much less recalling that she was her sibling in the one where she was queen. Those sort of people, he'd never figured they'd do anything but bow in deference, however, she'd whipped him.

"Now, I'm going to find that tunnel your Tootie was so keen on finding, and I'm going to find it now. I don't give a shit what you think. You can just lie here and bitch if you want. _I'm _going to do something, so _I _can get the hell out of here. If you don't like it, choke on a dick and die."

With those words (Timmy nearly fainted), she stormed off (swiping the transistor off the floor as she did), completely clueless as to where she was going, but thoroughly infuriated with her love's counterpart. She failed to notice, blinded by rage, the constricted corridor she strode right into. A perfectly calm individual would have, however. Indications of a cement barrier resided on the entrance, dimly light lanterns lead the way, and the only sound in the hall was her footsteps, resounding in the near pitch black.

Finally, though, her anger faded and she halted. Around her, the walls were slimy, coated with some sort of sparkling maroon substance. It seemed oddly familiar to her, but she couldn't place it. Hmm, what could it be?

"That's fairy blood," a calm, collected, and otherwise lifeless sounding voice informed her. "This is where Loreto used to go to slaughter the fairies. He thought it best to do it in front their incapacitated leader, Jorgen."

_I thought I recognized it. Ugh, but it brings back such unpleasant memories. Who is this girl? There's something eerily familiar about her._

Procuring a torch from its holder, the girl stepped into the light and Tootie drew back with a gasp. No wonder she felt so familiar to her- it was her counterpart. But Timmy told her she was dead!

"What the?" Alternate Tootie cried, clutching a baby to her chest like a life preserver. The child was tiny, perhaps only a week or so old. Even so, it was clear to anyone who the father was, what with the brown hair, pudgy nose, and buckteeth. Perhaps it was for the best that this child never see the light of day, because once it did, both he and his mother were doomed.

Staring at each other, both Tooties were in a stalemate until a call made them pivot. The alternate Tootie took a few furtive steps forward, as if daring herself to believe it was him. Despite the peculiarity of the situation, if he was here, then everything was all right.

"Tootie?" Timmy called, rubbing his arms for warmth. God, this passage was colder than the house. Okay, he knew it was winter, but what gave? It had to be well below zero.

"Yes?" Both answered inherently. After all, Timmy was calling them. In the alternate Tootie's arms, the baby began to fuss, as if aware his father was present.

"What the fuck?" Snatching another torch from its holder, he peered at both of them. Side by side, there was little difference. In fact, they were all but the mirror image of each other, save for a few small incongruencies. For example, the alternate Tootie's hips were wider, her appearance haggard. Then again, the alternate version _had _recently given birth.

"232, I mean, Timmy!" Nearly crushing her baby, the alternate rushed to her lover as he enveloped her in the tightest grip humanly possible.

"Your baby!" Tootie cried, pushing them apart before their child suffocated. "You can hug all you want, just don't kill your kid!"

"Heh, heh, sorry," Alternate Tootie muttered sheepishly. "Forgot."

_How could you forget something you're holding in your arms? Ah, never mind. I have to get to the bottom of this. If this passage is lined with fairy blood, it's only fair to surmise Jorgen is at the end. If I can free him, I can get the hell out of here.._

Ignoring them, she rushed on ahead, the transistor converting to a flashlight to guide her way. By the time she got back, she doubted the couple would realize her absence. After all, she was all alone. All alone…

Bones rustled beneath her feet and she was forced to grab another holder to keep her balance. A quick survey of the "floor" told her it wasn't paved, at least, not conventionally. Unless, of course, you normally went out and saw the roadway composed of fairy skeletons.

Faint glowing compelled her forward, permitting her to safely disregard the crunching under toe. _Jorgen Von Strangle, I hope to God you're the light at the end of the tunnel. Because if you aren't, I think I'm going to hurt someone._

For what felt like hours, she tread along, waiting for the light to grow stronger and the path to grow shorter. No wonder everyone thought he was a legend- you'd have to have remarkable endurance to consider venturing down such a long conduit. If she had bothered to waste her time measuring it out, simply strolling downhill to the deepest part of Loreto's fortress, she'd have discovered it to be well over three miles. Nevertheless, it was worth it for the promise at the end.

Brilliant red light flashed and Tootie fell to her knees, temporarily blinded. Once again, if she'd paid more attention to Cal's changes in the elevator, she would have been able to distinguish it as the evanescence of a wand. Judging by its luminance, it could only belong to one fairy. Now, all she had to do was retrieve it…

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" A mocking voice called from somewhere in the balcony. (Her eyes were starting to refocus). He sounded a bit like Crocker, only, instead of a high pitched insanity, it was frigid sanity. This man knew what he was doing, just how much pain to infuse, and when his victim was truly a corpse as opposed to merely adopting a morbid stature.

"Who the hell are you?" Tootie snapped, drawing the transistor closer to her. It returned to its stagnant form, but it was ready for battle. She only prayed she was.

"My dear child," the man said sedately, "I am your worst nightmare."

-----

"Shit!" Cal swore. A tightening in his chest told him his goddaughter was in trouble. This was supposed to be his responsibility, to ensure she was neither left alone nor unprepared for battle. And, because of his damn hormones, she was both.

"What's the matter?" Daniela, her head on his bare chest, her long brown hair splayed out, asked. Stretching lazily, she wrapped her petite form around him. Hmm, men didn't usually curse after they slept with her. Was she that bad?

"Tootie!" Reaching for his wand, Cal sought to clothe them so they could seek out Tootie, but he never got the chance. For his wand wasn't on the table, nor the floor. It wasn't anywhere helpful.

"I'm sorry, Tootie's not here at the moment. I can take a message, though. Don't worry, I'm sure she'll be glad to hear from you when you're rotting in the street." Standing at the foot of their bed, floating above the hardwood floor, was Vicky, his wand pointed at his chest. Dressed in a black suit that hugged her curves nicely, a crown flickered above her head. She was part fairy.

"And we're sending the bill to your coroner."

------

"I am Loreto. Perhaps you've heard of me. I know you've been snooping around, poking your nose where it doesn't belong. You see, pathetic prepubescent, I know everything. I know what you're thinking right now.

"Want me to tell you? C'mon, it's a good party gag. Then again, people don't tend to take to it if you spill their secrets to the world. Ah, well, I don't host many parties, what with enslaving humanity and fairy kind." Loreto, gracefully jumping from the balcony, landed on his feet, wings flickering for a brief second.

Desperate (since the transistor remained dormant in her hand), she shifted her gaze to a large glass case, housing Jorgen. His face was frozen in anger, an anger shared doubtlessly by the rest of his kin and race. Well, there was the savior, but where was her weapon?

"Ah, yes, humanity and fairy kind's last hope, an enormous fairy. He tried to force my sire to forget fairies, but we knew better, didn't we? No one will play with our minds.

"By our, I mean my sire and me. I'm sure you're well acquainted with Denzel Crocker, it was he you stepped on before entering. I had to kill him, he was getting terribly boring. After all, who wants to rule a world with shrimp puffs?

"Don't bother to call your fairy. My delicious Vicky has already seen to it that he and his new girlfriend are executed here, so you can watch them die.

"I bet you're wondering how I know all this. I told you, I know everything. Even if you think a house is secure, it really isn't. The house Cosmo and Wanda conjured up, I saw it come up on my master computer. I had it wired as soon as it sprang.

"So, when 458 and the nigger thought they were meeting in private, sneaking out of the human enclosure during the regular scheduled exercise activities, they really weren't. I saw everything they did, all their foul acts. I allowed them their fun for five months. It's called offering paradise only to snatch it away at the last possible second.

"I know when someone's plotting against me. But, every once in a while, I have to let certain plans unfold a little more, just to give hope. I _am _the dictator, after all. My responsibility is monitoring people's thoughts, weeding out the troublemakers.

"Hope, it's a fragile thing. So delicate, like a newly bloomed flower. I love crushing new flowers, seeing them die under my hand. The same goes for humans and fairies. There is no escape."

_I have to get that case broken somehow and free Jorgen. That's the only way. But how? For the meanwhile, I'd better stall. Villains do love the sound of their own voice, don't they?_

"But what about Cosmo and Wanda?" Tootie retorted, concentrating on conceiving a shield and sufficient weapon. "They aren't mates but they're allowed to have sex."

"And kids," Loreto finished. "Or so they think. None of their children live a day, I burn them in the incinerator. Every time Wanda gives birth, I quickly kill the child and feed it to her in her next meal."

Revolted, Tootie lost her concentration and the transistor. She bent down to retrieve it only to discover Loreto had it and was twiddling with it in his misshapen hands. In retrospect, he really did resemble Crocker, only his spine wasn't maladroit.

"What's this? Oh, this is supposed to be some sort of crude weapon? Dear me, this won't do at all. Can't have a young lady walking around like this, she might poke out an eye or…" Loreto examined it at length, but it wouldn't respond to him. Tootie found this pretty peculiar, considering it responded quite readily to Lorenzo. Maybe it was sick of being used for evil.

Zooming out of his hands, the transistor became a immense mallet, instantly shattering the glass enclosure. Water poured out in streams, but Jorgen still didn't budge. What had she done wrong?

"Foolish girl, he won't wake for a good hour. And, by that time, I dare say your corpse will be one of those littering the walkway here.

"But, perhaps I should take pity. I should let Jorgen see his daughter before I murder Fairy World and Earth's vestige of hope. It is what Vicky would have wanted."

"What?!" Tootie choked, not noticing Loreto remove a whip from his belt. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Project Protector. Vicky's father is Jorgen Von Strangle, thanks to a generous grant from my sire. Incidentally, he died procuring it, but nevertheless, the sperm partly responsible for Vicky's creation is him. We thought if the fairies had someone half of their own kind that they feared, it would provide a good example.

"And we carried on, but none were as successful as Vicky. She truly is a master of invoking terror in the hearts of many. However, before she arrives, I thought I'd give you a taste of her style of medicine."

Snaking around, the whip cut into Tootie's stomach and chest, leaving a long gash. She had a sneaking suspicion Cal would be unable to heal it, given the whip glowed green, a tell tale sign it was magic. Then again, what was she doing thing about it that now? First and foremost, avoid being hit.

Rolling around to avoid another lash, her hair was caught and viciously yanked out. Then, in another stroke, it bit into her back. Of course, how futile was it to think she was a match for a whip?

"Your fairies await, madam," Loreto said sarcastically, waving his arm. Just as he'd indicated, a red poof accompanied by a brown one and an orange showed. Cal, Daniela, and a beaming Vicky, joy.

((Tootie!)) Cal sent, over anxious and hiding it badly. ((Are you all right? What happened? You're bleeding from the chest and back!))

"I wish…" Tootie whimpered, but a second lash across her chest quieted her. Pain such as she'd never known spread across her body like wildfire. No way she'd be able to remain conscious in this state.

"Aw, isn't that cute?" Vicky crooned, slamming down Cal and Daniela, bound and gagged. "I think she's under the impression her fairy can grant wishes-"

The transistor, sensing Tootie's urgency, converted first into smoke balls, allowing them to escape if they could. Then, because none were in a condition in which they could do so with ease, changed into a mechanical bird with many appendages, all seizing Cal, Daniela, and Tootie and carrying them to safety. If Tootie could think, she would have thanked Lorenzo for swiping the transistor, because, without it, she would have met her demise.

It dropped them in the fairy pen, a very bizarre location. Then again, perchance not so much so because, when Cal and Daniela were freed, it converted into a wand that, with one wave, released every captive. If Jorgen was now no longer a slave, they shouldn't be either.

Thousands of wands dropped from the ceiling, the stolen ones from the beginning of Loreto's reign. Guards tried to prevent fairies from snatching them, but to no avail. Those that could fly did and quickly seized them, turning them against the humans. An uprising was on the way.

Meanwhile, Loreto and Vicky were attempting to reseal Jorgen with no success. The protection had been shattered permanently and it was only a matter of time before he reclaimed Fairy World and stopped them. Even with all their half-breeds, none were on their side. It seems, when allowed to think for themselves, they chose liberty over oppression. Imagine that.

In the ruckus, Tootie awoke to fairies barking orders, and her own nowhere to be seen. She had absolutely no idea what was going on; the agony would not allow her do anything constructive. But, while she was here, she was a sitting duck. She had to get off the floor, in the very least.

Pink and green flashes shone above her; Tootie stumbled to her feet. Cosmo and Wanda were in charge, well, more like Wanda was dictating orders and Cosmo floated by, numb. His eyes were bloodshot, his body emaciated more than most- Tootie thought he was on the verge of death. Every once in a while, Wanda would cease and wrap her arms ever tighter around him, terrified of losing him.

In the alternate Tootie's arms, the baby fussed, disused to the squalor and screams. She and Timmy tried to calm him down, but no avail. Like the fairies dropping dead in midair, they didn't stand a chance.

Battle cries were heard from both sides, a few kills were scored, but, the battle remained dead locked. Tootie stood off to the side, wondering where Cal and Daniela were because, even though the transistor had teleported them all here, they'd flown off to aid Cosmo and Wanda. For the meanwhile, the transistor was out of power, so they had to scuffle off to the side and watch the bloodshed.

Humans were shooting fairies down with such powerful rifles; the gunshots echoed in the room. Some were barely discernable- were they once living beings with heads, necks, and shoulders? Did they once breathe and exist? Or were they merely headless corpses, bodies so disfigured it was impossible to tell who they once were?

"Dammit!" Vicky screeched, scarcely audible over the ruckus. A few dead humans, slumped on the ground, squelched when she trod upon them. "Why the hell didn't someone clean up this mess?!"

"Oh, look. It's my half sister and her _mate_," Vicky snapped, jerking her sister's arm and prying the baby out of her hold. Timmy caught him before he could fall too far.

"And the little interloper, of course," Loreto crooned, grabbing her by the wrist and twisting it. Tootie fought his grip, however, and managed to slide underneath his legs. She wasn't safe yet, though. Particularly because she'd forgotten that, while she might have been very agile, she was also injured from the whippings and therefore not liable to react as quickly to things.

Trembling with fury, The Other seized his whip again. Catching Tootie in nearly the same place as before, the whip cut her from her left shoulder down her stomach. Black covered her vision, until she was no longer conscious but in blissful oblivion.

"Tootie!" Cal screamed, his hand on his wand, blasting away any cretins that tried to harm him or his beloved Daniela. In the foray, he could scarcely make out her pigtailed head, and he had a very bad feeling. In addition, he'd tried telepathy; she wasn't receiving, making him very anxious indeed. If only he could fight his way through the throng to get to her!

Daniela, disused to a wand, handled it less than adeptly. This led to many accidents on her part, that, fortunately enough, helped. Now, if she could just kill a few more humans, then he could get to Tootie. No, but that was wrong- he hated to have to murder to get what he wanted.

None violated the shield ball they'd set up, but in the corner of his eye, Cal could see Loreto abandon the whip and proceed to beat Tootie. Alternate Tootie and Timmy had their hands full, too, because Vicky held their child hostage until they called off the charge. They refused to, and it seemed their child was in dire straits, though not as bad as his own Tootie.

Pummeling her every inch he could reach, Loreto was merciless. Lorenzo would have been envious, but, if Cal didn't do something, Loreto could very well kill his goddaughter. Dammit, he had to get over there!

"You're worse than your counterpart," Loreto sneered, picking her up by the scruff of her neck and slamming her against the wall. "But, since I can't punish her for hooking up A.J. and Chester and nearly toppling my empire, you'll suffice. After all, you _are _practically the same."

Seething, Cal unleashed a bolt of pure magic, slaying any humans foolish enough to cross its path. His goddaughter was in danger and he'd fight everything, living or dead, to get to her. For the moment, Daniela was forgotten- all there was was his daughter, dying a little more by the second.

"Tootie!" Cal screamed, arriving at her side at long last and pointing his wand angrily at Loreto's throat. The Other smirked, about to make it explode, when his magic ceased. All magic ceased, as did fighting. Those in mid cast of a spell froze.

Jorgen Von Strangle (this universe's Jorgen, at any rate), equipped with his enormous wand, merely stood there (most fairies, those who'd seen him, floundered in their faith). He'd annulled the magic and was currently peering down, veins bulging in his forehead, at Loreto. Not a sound could be heard, not even in telepathy.

"Anti-fairy!" Jorgen thundered, about to squeeze him in his fist and possibly have a union of his ribs and his lungs, when Cal interceded.

"Please, my goddaughter, he's holding her like a shield. That's her, with the puffy lower lip, broken glasses, and, uh, bloody attire." _Dear Lord, she looks like she's been in a battle. I wonder how her Timmy will react when he sees her._

With surprising tenderness unbefitting for him, Jorgen pried Tootie out of his hands and placed her into Cal's arms. Daniela, recently having managed to arrive, tucked a stray strand of hair from her face. Cal had a fondness for her, so should she. After all, she'd be her fairy godmother if all went according to plan.

Vicky, about to smash the alternate's child's head in, gasped as the magic flowing through her soared out through her mouth.

"I'll take my power back."

Unconscious, Vicky tumbled to the floor; the alternate Tootie scrambled to hold and comfort her son. She did do one thing, however, malevolently- she kicked her half sister while she was down. Although one kick could hardly be enough, it helped a smidge.

Meanwhile, as the hybrids had their magic drained and they fell out of midair. With no magic, they were regular humans, only shorter. Most fainted.

Cosmo slipped out of midair as well but, Wanda, no longer distracted with directing fairies, caught him. Her face tightened; his breath was coming in rasps, his heart beat erratically, and all color had drained from his face. Dead fairy floating…

Meanwhile, in Cal's arms, Tootie stirred. She was only partially awake, blinded by pain, but conscious. Perhaps if her Timmy were here, she'd have a greater reason to rise.

Around them, the building trembled. A mini earthquake erupted, but, instead of splitting the ground, it dissembled the building, rendering it little more than rubble within seconds. All the denizens inside were unharmed, for the most part, minus one.

"Wait! Before you do anything, I want to know the real story. I want to know how exactly he rose to power, and how he kept it," Alternate Tootie snapped, her arms wrapped tightly around the baby. "Because I've been trying for years to figure that out and all I got was a near death experience."

"Fine," Loreto spat. "I might as well regale you, before I escape-"

Jorgen all but crammed his massive wand down his throat. "No escaping, puny anti fairy. You will explain how I was overpowered by you for thirty years, then I will send you to hell!"

The children stared at him. Quite a few, the younger set mostly, had never heard that word before, and were astounded. However, the older set sniggered appreciatively; the savior cursed, ha!

"Uh, I mean, heck!"

Under his breath, Timmy muttered, "Yeah, sure you did. Jorgen Von Strangle, raw and uncensored. Take that, Butch Hartman!"

------

_Stumbling, sobs quaked Denzel Crocker's small frame. Behind him, the mob continued to rampage, thoroughly ensuring this was the worst day of his life. Still, there was a gleam in the darkness- Jorgen's mind erasure missed its target thanks to a new friend of his._

_Loreto whispered in his ear, told him the things he wanted to hear. Moreover, he told him Cosmo and Wanda were in it too. After, Cosmo couldn't be a complete idiot- he must've planned for the mike to be on and to proclaim his secret to the town. They were all against him, but not Loreto. Loreto was his friend._

_Slowly, Loreto began to gain more and more control over Crocker. Soon, Crocker was only his pawn, able to fit into small spaces, steal things for him that he might need. Drawing energy from his puny frame, Loreto managed one trip to Fairy World, but this was all he required._

_For this weapon, a mind device, allowed him to rework human minds to accept ideas as the truth. First things first, he had to hunt down Cosmo and Wanda's new fairy godchild. They were necessary; Crocker grew anxious. As well as that weapon worked on other humans, it couldn't rework Crocker's mind, the magic was simply incompatible._

_Once Cosmo and Wanda were secured and Crocker was placated (he tried quizzing them on what happened on the 'worst day ever' but they reminded obstinate, perhaps because they truly didn't recognize him), Loreto set his mind onto other things. First things first, he had to be rid of this puny sire body. No one would give him support if they saw a feeble ten year old. He had to attain some sort of glory._

_When this was accomplished, tricking people's minds into thinking they were in a dictatorship was easy. A little tweak here and there, and they never grasped they used to live in a free world. Fear was rampant; he fed off it and it made him stronger._

_With this fear, he ensured they also believed in other odd ideas, such as huge penitentiaries where humans and fairies were kept virtual prisoners, only allowed to mate, feed, excrete waste, be born, and die. They were strictly monitored, this hadn't been fabricated. After all, he had to weed out the trouble makers, like Cosmo and Wanda._

_That was why Cosmo was so thin. For two weeks out of every year, he was starved with only Wanda slipping him her meager portions. He only let them do this because, up until recently, he'd a soft spot for them. _

_That lasted only until Tootie, that pesky girl, and her cronies. It was because of them that he'd had to encase Jorgen in Lucite for real, as opposed to only being psychosomatic. No matter how he hid it, he feared them because they alone had the power to topple him. This was why he sent his sire to encase Jorgen, he not only wanted the pathetic wannabe out of the picture, he also wanted free reign (cream puffs, who'd ever heard of such a thing?)_

_Nevertheless, Chester and AJ continued to meet, sometimes at the same instance as Cosmo and Wanda. This grew to be an annoyance, since he couldn't monitor both at once and Vicky was being willful._

_Ah, Vicky, the apple of his empire. She was the only true human/fairy hybrid fully developed. Most only lived to be midgets, surviving ten years if that many. She was the proof that fairies could be forced into sexual relations, albeit with limited success. As a matter of fact, she was the only one to do so. It had to do something with her malevolence, he figured._

_Still, he had one hell of time controlling her. For some odd reason, most of her hatred was focused on her half sister, Tootie. Apparently, just the sight of her pigtails was enough to rile her up and it didn't hurt that she too was willful, falling for someone not her chosen mate, acting just as Cosmo and Wanda did. _

_This wasn't the worst of it. Tootie had connections high up, leading her to dangerous roads. Even if she were pregnant with a future slave, she was far too threatening to live. So he had to eliminate her from the picture. A pleasant little accident was planned for her._

_But she survived it miraculously, going underground. And around him, the world was crumbling because he could tell another girl of her caliber was coming to take him down. She wouldn't be subject to his whims; he couldn't tell when she was coming or how soon his life would be over. _

_He'd prepared, he'd deliberated, and for what?_

_-------_

"For your execution," Jorgen said. Grasping his wand, he teleported them both to Fairy World for a formal execution. Many fairies followed, with the exception of four. Daniela, Cal, Cosmo, and Wanda remained behind.

"Well, sport," Wanda said, clinging to Cosmo for dear life. While Loreto had told his story, his breath had grown shorter and shorter. Death was imminent.

"Can we do anything for them?" Tootie whispered, stirring in Cal's arms. All turned to her, not realizing she'd awoken during the tale. "Like heal Cosmo?"

Frowning, Cal produced his own wand, pointing it at Cosmo. Purple beams of magic encircled him, restoring his former health. There were many things left to do here, but none of them were Tootie's duty any more. She was finished, for the most part.

Cosmo and Wanda were delegated temporarily to be Timmy's fairy godparents until the entire mess was sorted out in Fairy World. And, as it had been for more than thirty years in disrepair, it might be longer than temporarily. Tootie just hoped they were happy.

Vicky, magic-less, attempted to flee, only to be captured by Alternate Tootie. As expected, she was not too kind to her. In fact, being placed in an urn for life might have been the least of her worries…

"We're going home," was the first thing out of Cal's mouth. Tootie, still weak from the fight, merely nodded. Cal wished he could do something for her, but Fairy World had decided it was time for her to go and they'd let him know by a simple mental message.

Daniela, of course, was accompanying them, but, when she returned home, she and Cal were delegated to voices in her head since they had no physical form in that world. Still, she admired Tootie's tenacity. If she'd ever had a goddaughter, she had hoped it would be like her.

The elevator slowed, finally stopping in the library. It was dark, too dark to see anything, so Tootie had to creep out the door (without setting off the alarm, a miracle within itself) and to the house. A wind kicked up and she shivered; but nothing was as cold to her as her deeds in the past few days (to her), months (to Timmy, since the original transit took so long).

Finally, though, she arrived where she'd long awaited to return to: the house. Climbing the stairs, she had barely enough energy to open a door and slip into bed. She failed to notice the silly pink hat, but, as if he were a stuffed animal, she clutched him to her. She was finally home…for now.


	3. The Forbidden Fruit Isn't Always the Swe...

Author's Note: I worked my butt off to put this out in two days. I hope you appreciate it…

Disclaimer: It's uncanny how little I own. For instance, this show. I do not own it. If I did, I'd own a lot more, wouldn't I?

Chapter Three: The Forbidden Fruit Isn't Always the Sweetest

Red skies, the clouds swirled around her. Good, she wanted the anger, she fed off it. It filled her; it reminded her of how Timmy'd enraged her.

God, why was he such an idiot? Why did he have to berate her? Couldn't he see the tears in her eyes? Didn't he understand that she couldn't tell him?

And he used her! He said he needed her- bullshit! All he needed her for was to try to placate himself. Screw everything, her appearance was only to try to reassert his heterosexuality to him.

God, she hated him. No, she could never hate Timmy Turner. He was her world; he was the only thing in her life she could rely on.

Or so she thought. She assumed, foolishly, when she returned home, he'd be there, worried of course but forgiving nonetheless. She assumed he'd wrap his arms around her and make her pain go away. What a fool she'd been.

Cal floated beside her, mercifully silent. Although he knew a bit more about the situation with Timmy than he let on, he preferred to keep this information to himself, lest Tootie become dangerous and irrational. Little did he suspect keeping mum would be the worst thing possible for Tootie- she was on a vengeance mission, screw any who stood in her way. In fact, if he'd trusted her judgment less, perhaps they wouldn't be hurtling towards uncertain disaster.

But enough of that. The roads were cracked, the asphalt torn asunder in some parts or missing in others. Grand, this world was just as bad as her first one, if not worse.

"Do you even know what the problem _is_?" Tootie inquired, hugging herself. She was caught between a rock and a hard place, but, if Timmy really meant what he'd said before, then what did she care? If he wanted her to die so much, perhaps she would.

"Tootie, I really don't think it was such a good idea to run off when you did. You didn't work things out with your Timmy and you're angry right now-"

"Damn right I am! Motherfucker!" Tootie snapped, and blinked back tears. Cal rushed to hold her but she pulled out of his embrace.

No, she would not be consoled. She didn't want his pity, she wanted revenge. Sweet, sweet revenge for the way Timmy had treated her in the past few days. And she was going to get it, one way or another.

Marching down the road, she failed to notice Daniela and Cal exchange a look. Cal fretted about his goddaughter- the visit home had done her much more harm than he'd thought. She was dangerously unhinged.

Around them, nature ceased to move. Birds, drab birds with very little sheen, merely stared at them, their crowns lacking luster. The only thing noticeable about them was they were trying _not _to be noticeable, and annoying little beepers that shrieked when they passed.

At the intersection where Trixie would normally call her mansion in any ordinary Dimmsdale, a solitary figure stood, the first person they'd seen in their nearly mile walk. He leaned against the gates, a soft smile on his face despite the starkness of the world around him.

The world _was _stark too, only uniform colors evident. No pink outfit did he wear, nor was he accompanied by pink and green creatures of some sort. There were no bright colors at all, save for the sun, which seemed dull within itself.

If Tootie hadn't had an inherent Timmy detector, she wouldn't have known it was him. Surely, the fashionable brown ensemble and lack of individuality did not identify him positively at all. In fact, it labeled him as a lust-struck slave, in her opinion.

By now, she knew it the norm to deal with the Timmy in that world first, before anyone else. He usually imparted his wisdom to her, allocating her to deal with whatever dread that world offered. While he wasn't always innocent, he was usually insightful, helping her out in the end. Therefore, she had no reason to be mistrustful of this individual, ominous feeling aside.

Besides, as Cal was apt to inform her, she was here to help, and help she must, though loath she was to do it in the face of her own failing relationship. Besides, if this one got too fresh, she could always slap him around a bit and appease herself. That was good for a vengeful chuckle.

"Hello," Timmy greeted her cordially, no trace of annoyance in her voice. This too irked her, indescribably. Timmy did not like her, at least, not right off the bat. He found her to be a nuisance, a lovesick girl with too much time on her hands. For Timmy to greet her in such a friendly manner was peculiar.

From what she could tell, his age was approximately fourteen (give or take a few months) and this placed her age at thirteen, or, in all likelihood, fourteen. She'd discovered, that, while her own universe differed slightly as far as ages, most universes had her the same age as Timmy. Perhaps it was a vast misinterpretation of the cosmos or something.

He was scrawny in his brown cargo pants and lack of pink hat. Truly, the absence of the pink disturbed her more than she could mention, merely because it was what she was used to seeing him in. Even the Timmy in the first universe had worn some sort of pink outfit, tattered though it might be.

In fact, he didn't feel in control to her, but more like someone was pulling his strings, working his lines. She remembered with unpleasantly the way Lorenzo used to do this in her own world, and wondered briefly if this was the case here. Well, she was going to find out sooner or later, wasn't she?

Forcing a smile, she greeted him back. Cal and Daniela, cloaked by an invisibility spell of some sort, floated idly by her. Why this would be was beyond her, but a very strange sensation gripped her. Timmy's fairies were nowhere to be seen and hers were in hiding. What was present they were afraid of? What on earth could tear Cosmo and Wanda from Timmy? Were fairies shunned?

"Hey, um, where are Cosmo and Wanda?" Tootie inquired, trying to keep her tone light and conversational. _Just an ordinary day in a not so ordinary world._

"Oh, I don't have them anymore," He replied, nonchalant. "Fairies are to be seen and not heard, thanks to Tootie, well, your counterpart, I mean."

_Another world where my counterpart has wreaked havoc? Improbable, but possible. I'll bite, especially since Timmy has never steered me wrong in the past. Despite his odd attire and that discord I feel from him, I'll trust him. He didn't tear open my stomach unlike someone else I know._

"You don't sound terribly upset," Tootie remarked, blushing when he roped an arm about her waist. To the contrary, she didn't object at all, finding nothing wrong with this behavior. She needed physical affection and, since she couldn't find it in her world, she'd find it here. Ironically enough, she didn't question the fact that her own counterpart had ruined his life, why should he be coming onto her?

Nevertheless, why was this Timmy so detached from his fairies? The very notion was disconcerting, that one could be this way around such innocent, delightful creatures. Why, the first time she'd seen them, she'd fallen for their charm. Was this Timmy indifferent or was something else at work here?

Another question begged to be asked. How could her counterpart be responsible for disasters that appeared to be magic related? Unless, of course, there was an anti-fairy working behind the scenes, pulling the strings (that would certainly explain Timmy's odd behavior).

But if there was, why didn't Timmy refer to her first instead of her counterpart? Tootie knew that, unless something drastic had happened to her counterpart, she could never be capable of such atrocities. Not even the loss of Timmy would allocate her to grand-scale chaos and misconduct.

In addition, she knew Jorgen, even though she resented the missions, would never assign her to a world devoid of a task. Her mission was to seek and hunt down The Other, in whatever form he/she might take. If there were none present here, or they were dead, there was no purpose in her visit.

So there had to be an anti fairy lurking about somewhere. But where? All the past versions of The Other, history dictated, were egomaniacal bastards/bitches, prostrating themselves wherever they felt like it. In this world, she hadn't found a sign, not a one, of such an occurrence. Wherever The Other was here, they were well secreted.

A setup like this should have screamed something, anything, to her, but nothing came. She was far too enraged with her Timmy to think things through logically, and barely focused on the task at hand. If only Jorgen had thought before he'd assigned her.

((This looks suspicious,)) Cal sent to Daniela, eyes narrowed. Innately, she distrusted humans and their fickle ways, although she did not harbor such an opinion against the naïve and downright sweet Tootie. This child, however, the skulking brown individual, screamed investigation. Even if his goddaughter was seemingly oblivious, _she _wasn't. The telltale heart beat beneath the trapdoor.

((I whole-heartedly agree with you. We'd best gather information.)) _Oh, a fact finding mission, what fun! I haven't done that since I was alive the first time, before I got sick._

((But can we trust her alone with him?)) He replied, anxiety seeping through. Despite his love for his goddaughter, he knew her well and knew this situation to be a bad one to place her in this state. She wasn't thinking clearly, if she was thinking at all, and her inhibitions were at an all time low, even if she was sober.

Daniela's opinion, however, differed. From her point of view, although Timmy was a jerk and he deserved whatever was coming to him in his world, she didn't see how this would cripple Tootie's judgment enough to do something idiotic like break the one rule set out for her. She could make her own decisions, she didn't need guidance.

((I see no reason why not. Cal, she's a big girl, she can take care of herself.)) _And I'm not in the mood to play fairy godmother to a teenager. I've barely been alive, I need to get loose and motor!_

((She's an emotional wreck after what Timmy did to her. You saw it, you were there! I _really _doubt it's a good idea to leave her alone with him, behaving as she is now.)) _In fact, I'm not terribly certain it's a good idea to remain invisible like this, where she's liable to ignore us._

((What's the worst that'll happen? She'll beat him into a bloody pulp?)) _You have to give her more credit than that. I'm sure, if the situation came up, she could take care of herself. Besides, she's strong enough to beat the shit out of him if need be. I'd love to see it, though._

((_No_. You don't know her like I know her. She's almost insanely in love with Timmy. Her Timmy shunned her and if this one comes onto her, she may sleep with him out of spite and desperation.)) _In whichever order. _

((That's ridiculous!)) _Good Lord, Cal, you make her out to be a slut. There's no way she can be as in love with him as you say she is. That's just stupid._

((It's entirely plausible. Tootie operates almost solely on Timmy power, his actions towards her. If Timmy is nice to her, she'll be happy, cheerful, energetic. If he's not, she grows morose and extremist. Her behavior becomes erratic and unpredictable (taking into account the extreme reaction of her conduct)- homicidal if she's furious, suicidal if she's miserable, and so on and so forth. She's dangerous, we can't afford to leave her alone.))

((We have more pressing issues right now,)) Daniela reminded him steely, slightly ticked that he misjudged his goddaughter so much. The way he made her out to be, she was bipolar or something. Some medicine would take care of that, but, in the meanwhile…

((If you don't check this out, _I _will, alone,)) She sent, letting the threat dangle (just as you should never allow a participle to). Brandishing her wand (a gift from Tootie in the elevator thanks to the transistor), she waved it in his face. He gulped and she sighed. It was a low hit, to threaten to leave, but she had no other visible options.

:Tootie, sweetie, I'm afraid we have to leave you and Timmy for a while since we need to investigate this world further. I don't like the vibes this place is giving off nor does she. We'll be back as soon as we can and **don't do anything stupid**!: Cal sent, making her wince. All right, all right, she got it. Keep her skirt on.

Speaking of her skirt, it had shrunken a few inches. Cal had been unable to heal her and fix her attire at the same time, so her skirt now, instead of dropping down to her knees, barely reached past her underwear. She wasn't wearing a bra, either, so her pert breasts poked up against her too tight shirt. No wonder Timmy was staring at her so blatantly.

_I guess I'll see you guys later then, _Tootie replied, gazing at Timmy with unmasked desire. Once again, Cal doubted his decision to leave her alone. He just didn't trust her in this situation.

:As soon as we can, we'll be back,: Cal replied worriedly, stroking her face. She shivered, but her shiver was not from this. It was from a glance at Timmy's pants, something that almost certainly irritated him to no end. God, why did Daniela have to be so stubborn and whimsical? She was going to sleep with him, he knew it!

_Take your time_, Tootie purred, not even realizing what she was saying. Her hormones were pounding down below.

:Er, right…: He responded, following Daniela's lead and vanishing into an upper level of the mansion. No, he didn't like this idea at all, but what choice did he have? The information was vital to their operation.

"I bet you're cold," Timmy murmured, rubbing her shoulders. A delicious shiver ran up and down her spine at the touch, coupled with a slight feeling of nausea. She pushed the latter aside, concentrating on the first instead. Now this Timmy knew how to treat a gal.

Smiling crookedly, he pushed open the gates (all the while caressing her back and kissing her neck) and led her up the driveway. What was odd was, once he'd asked if she was cold, she became so. The idea was psychosomatic, she knew, but still…if it meant he'd continue like this, she could really care less.

The door was unlocked when they arrived and all Timmy had to was let up on caressing her back to open it. His hand had been drooping towards her behind, but she kept silent. Truthfully, she rather liked this idea.

Past ornamental vases, Oriental paintings, expensive mahogany tables, wide-open halls and humungous, silk banners, he escorted her to an unknown room in this vast place. All she could do was cling to him and moan as he moved his lips down her neck and kissed her shoulders. Delicious sensations rocked her, allowing her to forget the queasy feeling she got whenever he touched her in this manner.

At long last, they halted before a bedroom that could possibly be a master bedroom. For a brief second, he paused before entering, capturing her lips in a kiss and pressing his body against hers. She could feel the heat from it, and a certain hardness she rather liked.

He managed to open it without her noticing and continued to make out with her until they reached the bed, where upon he knocked her over onto it, continuing his administrations. Laying atop her now, his lips were on hers but his hands were roaming, exploring everything there was to explore. She panted and finally regained her senses long enough to force herself away from him.

"Wha-What's the matter?" Timmy inquired, sounding generally concerned.

"I can't do this!" Tootie cried, her hands inadvertently traveling the same path his had a few seconds ago. Just the mere suggestion made her tremble.

"Why not?" He purred, licking her lips. God, she wanted him. If her conscience hadn't started screaming at her just as his fingers reached beneath her skirt, she might have tackled him to the bed and said 'f you' to Fairy World. _"F you', I need him so badly I can feel him inside me._

"I…I'm here to help," She said simply. _Not to whore around._

"God helps those who help themselves," He murmured, smoothing her hair.

"I mean, I need to find out your situation before I get, uh, too involved…" She lied, wishing fervently she wasn't in this mess. If only her Timmy was this nice…

"You want to find out my situation, fine!" Timmy snapped, withdrawing from her. A quick glance told her, that, unless he was a very good actor, he was genuinely furious about the situation at hand. (And she'd never known a Timmy to be a good actor).

"Here's what's going on.

"Your counterpart had a couple of fairies, Cal and Daniela. Apparently, she took after Vicky instead of a sane person, because this just wasn't enough. She was power hungry and she wanted more than just a few harmless wishes.

"So, in a tower of rage against 'Da Rules', she wished for an anti fairy, one that would make her every desire come true. Her fairy godparents were skeptical about the threat to the world at large if she were given unlimited power, so they created an anti fairy form of her as a safe bet. Of course, this didn't go according to plan because, instead of containing less of Tootie's evilness, she had more, much more.

"Tootie had never really liked me all that much. I thought she was the hottest girl in my class, though, so I always tried to impress her. I guess her cruelty just turned me on.

"At any rate, with her anti fairy form at her side, she grew more and more ambitious with every passing moment. In a few weeks, she'd conquered the school, dominated the parents, and crushed the opposition.

"Well, most of it. There was still the matter of me, and I wasn't backing down. No matter how hot she was, I still couldn't stand that much evil. It made me sick.

"Unfortunately, her spies, including Vicky, provided her helpful information on who had fairies in Dimmsdale. Since she'd always hated me, she took mine first, procuring them in the name of 'justice'. Feh, what justice was that?

"Since then, fairies are only seen, not heard. If a fairy is caught talking to you, they're killed instantly. No human-fairy interaction is permitted at all, because that means a fairy is conspiring, and conspiring is daunting to her, The Other of Tootie, I mean.

"Tootie herself is dead, done in by her own anti fairy. It seems she got a little too ambitious, tried to take her wish away the hard way, and she was hung from a nearby tree. I'd take you to the body, but there's not much to see, just a few bones.

"As for her fairies, when Tootie and her anti form took power, they killed them. As a matter of fact, they were murdered in cold blood while the innocents, Chester, A.J., I, and the children in my grade, watched. She was ruthless, absolutely ruthless. She'd do anything to attain her means.

"The only reason Chester and A.J. were invited to see it at all was because they knew Tootie was evil from the get go. They just had a sense about these things, it's uncanny. I wish I knew where they are now, but Tootie's anti form didn't let me know.

"They worked against Tootie when she rose to power, looking for anything that might bring her down. They did find something, I think, but were never permitted to display it. Information can be a dangerous weapon.

"I wonder sometimes why she did it all, but then I know. She was criminally insane, driven mad with power and just the fact Vicky was her sister. In the end, she was worse than her, even more evil.

"Yes, she was evil. There was a sweet, charming girl named Trixie Tang that always tried to get my attention but I would never give her the time of day. She obsessed over me night and day, never letting me hear the end of it. It was almost cute, I suppose, which might have been why I fell for her as well.

"When Tootie realized this, she had to punish me. By stealing my love from me, the only one who truly understood the pain I was in, she thought she could squash my spirit. But it didn't work.

"Naturally, she upped the stakes and did something even more drastic. In a private room, with only me and her anti fairy present, she shot Trixie in cold blood. It took her forever to die, I remember. She seemed to fall for a lifetime, her neck snapping when she hit the cold marble tiles.

"Unfortunately, killing Trixie was not enough for her. She had to take the adults out with her. I haven't seen my parents in two years.

"After the loss of my parents, the love of my life, and my fairy godparents, I wanted to get her back for what she did to me. Not only that, but she left Vicky as the heir to her throne. Vicky's in charge of the misery now, accompanied by her little sister's anti fairy form.

"I'm going to take her down, no matter the cost. Every man has his honor, and what do I have left? I have no family, no love, no house, nothing. I'm going to get it back, or die in the meantime."

When he was done with his monologue, Tootie couldn't help but stare. He certainly had a strong case against Tootie and her anti fairy form, whoever she was. But why would he come onto her knowing that?

"You, however, are just what I wanted my Tootie to be, pleasant, kindly, and helpful. That's why I can't help myself when I'm around you, I just want you so badly. Do you understand that?"

Smirking, she replied, "Oh, believe me, I do."

"So can you really blame me for trying to make myself and you happy?"

"N-no…" The word that would define 'trouble'.

(On the second level of the mansion)

"Is everything in order?" A girl with long, black hair tied back in a hair-band, a pink dress, long white boots, and perfectly manicured fingernails, inquired. She was drop dead gorgeous, and, even as a human, she made Cal's heart beat faster. He couldn't help it, she just had that power.

"It certainly is, Katrina," Trixie replied, filing her own nails. She was dressed identically to her anti fairy form, right down to the nail polish. Perching atop a plush throne, she gazed at Cosmo and Wanda, struggling against their cage. How boorish, they did so every day. When would they learn, they'd never be free.

Hidden safely in the right hand corner of the room, Cal and Daniela had a perfect view. They could see the fairy cages (only the ones considered a real threat were there, the rest were scouts for them); Cosmo and Wanda and their counterparts. If it weren't for their invisibility cloak spell, they'd be anxious because their view was so perfect.

"The bait is set? Because, you know, I disdain when good plans unravel because _someone _doesn't know their lines." Wrinkling her nose in distaste, Katrina paced the room, blowing her sire a kiss in the meanwhile.

"Yes, she doesn't suspect a thing," Trixie replied, growing weary of this conversation.

"Can I play with Timmy's fairies?"

"Sure, do what you will. I'm off to check on A.J. and make sure he's come up with our next plan of action." With that, Katrina waltzed out of the throne room, past the silk banner proclaiming her might, and down the stone stairs, for A.J.'s place was in the basement.

Her anti fairy form gone, Trixie strolled up to Cosmo and Wanda's cage, poking her finger in. Wanda glared at her, looking ready to bite that finger off. Sure, she knew the girl was cruel, but she'd never know just how much until she'd seduced her godson.

When Trixie had asked Timmy out on a date when he was ten, he'd leapt at the chance. Remembering it now, Wanda shook her head. Boys could be quite shallow if they wanted to.

It was precisely this shallowness that had gotten him into trouble. Trixie pretended to like him, even appointing him as her boyfriend. But Wanda had suspected foul play.

When she tried to call Timmy up on it, he grew agitated and they had a falling out. That night, when Trixie asked Timmy out (they were now twelve, and had dated for two years), she seduced him in the back of the limo. Once he was exposed before her, she conned him out of revealing Cosmo and Wanda's existence.

Operating quickly, since she figured correctly that they would be taken from him if enough time were allowed to elapse, she created an anti fairy form and that's where the trouble began.

"Well, don't you two look lively today?" Trixie cooed, prodding Wanda with her fingernail. Wanda felt her skin break at the touch of Trixie's claws, but kept from crying out just barely.

"We'd be a little more lively if you let us out of here!" Cosmo roared, shaking the bars. Wanda, strained because the cage provided scarcely enough room for the both of them, winced. Every day it was the plea, and every day it was the same answer.

"Oh, but that wouldn't be any fun, now would it?" Turning her attention to Cosmo, she delicately scratched him, producing a hairline trail of blood.

"And then you wouldn't get to see Timmy, because the only way you can get out is if you die and stink up the room," She pouted, running her fingernail across Cosmo's face still, precariously close to gouging an eye out.

"Who said we wanted to see him?" Wanda spat. "_I _certainly don't, not after you turned him into your sex slave."

"Your loss." Bored again, she carved into Cosmo's face neatly before turning to another person entering the room. She had long, red hair and demonic eyes. In any other world, she'd be called…Icky Vicky.

As Trixie had her pet fairies, so did Vicky. As soon as she entered the room, she headed for Cal and Daniela, glaring at her. Time for a wee bit of fun, lads and lassies.

"So, miss your goddaughter?" Vicky taunted, holding up a picture of Tootie before she died. She lit a cigarette lighter beneath it and it turned to ash, which she quickly blew in their faces.

"That's all that left of her. _Remember?_"

Sadly enough, they did.

(Two years ago, Dimmsdale Elementary)

_Cal and Daniela were always with their goddaughter now. They didn't trust Timmy, even if Tootie did. It wasn't that they disliked Timmy, but they hated what he had become, a slave to Trixie._

_ Lately, life had taken a turn for the worse for their pigtailed child. No matter where she went, she was shunned, and no one did it as badly as Timmy._

_ For instance, today, Timmy Turner stood on the stairs with his girlfriend, Trixie Tang. No, he didn't just stand on the steps, he lorded over them. He was the All Mighty Timmy, ruler of all that was and is._

_ And now, his attention was focused on the lowly Tootie, who was trying to subsist by sneaking in late, keeping her head down, her mouth shut, and avoiding people. Chester and A.J. tried to help, but they were only two._

_ Grinning widely, Timmy jumped off the steps and slung an arm around her. Surprised, Tootie went scarlet and dared to kiss him. Mistake number one- never move in on Trixie Tang's property._

_ "Well, well, look who's being adventurous," Timmy cackled, shoving her to the ground. She landed badly, one of her legs bent back. Pleading for pity, she gazed up at him._

_ "Oh, I thought you knew the laws of the dictatorship. All for Trixie and none for Tootie," Trixie cooed, wrapping her arms around him. Tootie could do nothing but glare hatefully at her, because the instant she moved to strike, twenty of her cronies appeared to give her back up. Twenty-two to one, god-awful odds._

_ "In olden days, with slaves, when they did something the master didn't approve of, they were whipped. Unfortunately, a whip takes up too much space in my bag, so I brought something more effective." Pulling out a gun, she twirled it on her fingers before pointing it at Tootie's head._

_ Desperate now, she glanced urgently at Timmy for some sort of guidance. He offered none, merely congratulated his girlfriend on such a devilish plan. Panic stricken, Tootie fought the bile rising in her throat._

_ From behind, Veronica came and seized her godparents, her bows. She locked them inside a magic crystal (easily obtained on a magical black market), where they could be bystanders. The next few minutes were a lifetime to them._

_ "Would you like to do the honors, finally get rid of the pest?" Trixie purred, licking Timmy's ear. Out of nerves and disgust, Tootie vomited, tears mixing in. She did so until there was nothing left in her system, when she began to dry heave._

_ "Oh, look, baby threw up," She taunted, pressing the gun to her temple and rubbing her face in it. Tootie wished she could pass out, just so she wouldn't have to endure the pain of dying and the horror of this._

_ "I want some of the fun too," Timmy interjected and she obligated by giving him the gun. Tootie stared at it, transfixed by the torment of certain death._

_ First, he fired in a non-lethal place, the leg. Hot fire ran up and down, and she swore. Timmy shot her in the mouth, blowing off her jaw, just to shut her up. Even so, screams echoed through out the grounds, but no one said a word._

_ "Psycho bitch," He taunted, firing bullets off in every imaginable place but her head. He wanted to leave the best for last. Besides, her pain was so delicious, so Katrina informed him. She ought to know, she was controlling him._

_ ((STOP!)) Tootie screamed, always in possession of telepathy Timmy ignored. ((You're killing me!))_

_ (The echoes entered __Cal__ and Daniela's minds, making both of them shudder violently and cling to each other.)_

_ "That would be the point," Timmy sniggered, finally shooting her in the head. It took forever for her head to fall, her body to jerk then lose the battle for life. Cal and Daniela knew then how screwed they were._

(Back to the 'present')

"Wasn't that trip fun?" Vicky crooned, grinning wolfishly at both of them. If they had anything in their system to extricate, they would have. Instead, Alternate Daniela cried and Alternate Cal stroked her face.

"Bitch," Alternate Cal spat, trembling with anger. Actually, that wasn't a strong enough term for her, but it would do for now.

"Yes, yes, I know, I know. When we find her body, we'll give you a call." Snickering, Vicky left them, Trixie on her arm. They were such good friends, it was amazing how much a little hate could do for a person.

Gazing open jawed at them, our Cal sent Daniela a simple message.

((We need to get to Tootie, and quickly.))

She complied.

(In the 'master' bedroom)

Tootie awoke to see not Timmy looking down at her but a girl resembling Trixie. Timmy stood beside her, leaning his head on her breast. Dread filled her, as well the overwhelming sense of nakedness.

She'd really done it this time, allowed herself to surrender to her whims. Just because she'd needed a little comfort, she'd gone and slept with the boy! Oh, was she in for it…

"Good morning, sunshine," Katrina purred, stroking Timmy's hair. "I knew you were coming, so I baked you a cake. Timmy cake, Timmy cake, baker's man. Bake me a whore as fast as you can. Strike her, roll her, mark her with a "S" and put her in the frying pan for Trixie and me."

Moaning, she began to rise but Timmy, fully clothed, shoved her back down none too tenderly. In fact, in doing so, he bruised her shoulder. Damn, how could she have been so stupid?

"Oh, _ho_, you're not going anywhere. It's story time."

"I'm not a whore!" Tootie protested, blushing in the face of her nudity. "I made a mistake!"

"You most definitely did," Katrina crooned, sliding her fingers down her shoulders. Tootie restrained an urge to throw up.

"But it's not my fault!" Tootie protested, her eyes pleading for pity. Instead, three more visitors appeared- Trixie and two fairies in shackles. She didn't need a cue card to tell who they were.

"The gang's all here!" Katrina mewed, hugging her sire. Cosmo and Wanda glared at their godson, but their eyes widened when they saw her. Contrary to popular belief, they'd been present when Tootie, their Tootie, was murdered.

Trapped (and distrustful of everyone around, _including_ the fairies), she rose, reaching for her clothing. Timmy leapt up, pinning her wrists to the headboard. Cosmo and Wanda hissed in anger and Katrina yanked on their chains, temporarily strangling them.

"You're not going anywhere. It's story time and I would be so offended if you left in the middle of my tale. Oh, and stop thrashing like that. You're caught in my web and I'm going to devour you."

Gulping, she ceased thrashing and stared at the duo. Both blushed.

"Not in a sexual way…we're not gay," Katrina qualified.

"Yeah, we just enjoy torturing Tooties, this universe and beyond," Trixie added, inciting another hiss from the fairies.

"Shut up!" Timmy snapped.

Before they did, Wanda had one last comment, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

"When did you become cold and heartless? Did you lose your love in lust?"

"I don't need you to tell me what to do, _frach_," He spat and she hung her head. Cosmo slipped an arm around her neck and kissed her cheek.

"I think that's enough of the drama," Katrina smirked, yanking them apart. Wanda gasped, nearly suffocated again. Timmy freed her, not out of any concern.

"I bet you're just hot under the collar to find out the true story, not just what Timmy said to sleep with you. Don't worry, you're not going anywhere."

"Wait," Trixie said, grinning devilishly. She frenched Timmy for a good half minute before continuing. He moaned, completely under her spell.

Nodding, Katrina stepped aside, taking Cosmo and Wanda's reins. _Someone_ had to keep them in check. That and it was fun to cut off their air supply.

"I was never really interested in pink hat and buckteeth. I just liked toying with his mind. After all, he was a lovesick, pathetic loser.

"Before long, I noticed odd things happened around him, things that could not readily be explained or shrugged off. Loath as I was to admit it, Crocker was right. Timmy _did _have fairy godparents.

"But what to do about it? Once I'd proved it to Vicky, we set out to destroy him. She'd attack at home and I at school. No matter where he went, one of us would corner him.

"You're probably wondering what was in it for Vicky. She dislikes partnerships and particularly sharing. However, I promised her a position in my court- slave mistress of the fairies.

"With this out of the way, I began to flirt with Timmy. I knew I had to be careful not to go too fast too soon. I had to start slowly and work my way up. Timmy's brain was too small to comprehend why the prettiest girl in the school, the girl who'd never given him the right time of day, who went out of her way to reject him, suddenly showed an interest in him.

"By the time we were twelve, we were going steady and his defenses were weakening. Unfortunately, my manipulation didn't go unnoticed. Chester, A.J., and Tootie were watching me.

"Yes, Tootie's love for Timmy was selfless. Almost every day, she risked life and limb for him. She could clearly care less what happened to her.

"What was worse that, the first night I tried to make him mine, Tootie discovered she had telepathy. For over two hours, he was lucid enough to repel my advances. Nothing angered me more.

"So she had to be dealt with. I summoned all those I could gather to my defense and cornered her. She was the first person I 'helped' to kill.

"He was stunned at his actions. Therefore, he grew putty in my hands, easy to seduce. That night, I gained an anti fairy.

"The instant they appeared, I forced Timmy to wish for Katrina. Katrina immediately set a fog over the world and, to this day, this Jorgen knows nothing of the situation.

"Katrina was the most powerful anti fairy in this realm's history. No matter what it was, from the smallest fire spell to the largest grand scale mental blow out, she could handle it, barely lifting a finger. You can imagine, for me and Vicky, this was a dream come true.

"Katrina interested Timmy as well. Now there were two hot girls pining after, two girls who could keep him in line if he objected to the treatment of his fairies too much, although, after a while, he stopped doing that too. Why object when it just meant potential punishment and the removal of the possibility of a ménage trois?

"He thought Katrina and I were an item. We weren't. We had and still have no homosexual tendencies, but we pretended to, just to titillate him. Once again, I demonstrated my mastery at twirling unsuspecting boys around my pinky.

"Annoyingly, Chester and A.J. continued to oppose me. They were angered by the brutal murder of Tootie and wanted retribution, preferably our heads on platters. However, it didn't take me long to figure out who was the brains behind the operation.

"Using one of the cheerleaders I used to be friends with, Veronica, Chester was quickly dealt with and his body rots in the quarry a bit down the road. Simple-minded boys were always easy to bend to my will.

"The same was not true for A.J. A.J. knew my whims and tricks, knew how to avoid them. He didn't think with his hormones, like Timmy and Chester. Instead, his brain functioned almost supernaturally, tripping me up at every corner.

"Eventually, I had to capture him using the acquired fairies. Yes, the fairies were an interesting acquisition. Cosmo and Wanda were forced to locate those they knew on Earth and drive them here, under punishment of death. They, incidentally, preferred to die, but Katrina accompanied them, so they had no choice in the matter.

"At any rate, I'm getting behind myself. I captured A.J. and forced him to become my advisor, under torture of his parents. A.J. might have cared little for his own life, just as Tootie had, but he couldn't endanger those he loved.

"The parents are located in an enclosure just off the out-skirts of town. I keep them alive until they've outlived their usefulness, then leave to Katrina for target practice. She's actually pretty good.

"Timmy, obviously, works for me now. He's completely under my control, no free will at all. It's a perfect set up.

"I wish I could say the same for Cal and Daniela, Tootie's fairies. While they are enslaved, they aren't mentally, and they fight me there every day. If I didn't need them, they'd go the way of the parents."

Sickened by everything she'd heard and Timmy's grip on her (nausea rooted her to the spot), she fought with a renewed strength, just as Trixie's tale came to a close.

"Katrina didn't just know about our universe, though," Trixie continued, with a snide glance at Tootie. The more she squirmed, the greater a kick she got out of it.

"She knew about every universe with an anti form in it. Therefore, she knew immediately, as soon as it was issued, about your mission. She knew you were coming here.

"Unfortunately, she didn't know what state you'd be in, how susceptible you'd be to Timmy's advances. We had to make a bit of a gamble, or, I should say, A.J. did. Ah, but it all worked out. Now, what to do with you? I wonder…"

Eyes wide, Tootie waited fearfully for the end. _Goodbye Timmy, I'm_

_sorry I let you down. I didn't mean for my letter to become true…_

(Meanwhile, still stuck upstairs)

Agitated, Cal tried for what seemed to be the millionth time to poof out of the room. Neither he nor Daniela could leave, and the few fairies there gazed at them with a passing curiosity. They wondered why a fairy, free, would choose to be enslaved. After all, once you were in this room, your magic dwindled and you were trapped.

((Wait, there's one thing we haven't tried,)) Cal panted, barely aloft.

((What would that be?)) Daniela snapped back, frustrated at herself for suggesting such a thing in the first place. Then again, how was she to know she was going to get caught?

((We can try to poof together, that is, both of us thinking at the same time of a certain place where to do so, and then holding on for dear life. It's the only option left, and I really don't fancy meeting up with Tootie too late. I rather doubt she has enough will power to resist him this long.))

((Oh, ye of little faith.))

((Very little. Let's try it, okay?)) Holding up his nearly limp wand, he concentrated as hard as he could on locating Tootie's mental energy. Once he had, he alerted Daniela, making sure they both knew where they were going.

Clasping each other as closely as possible, they vanished to discover the catastrophe.

(The 'master' bedroom)

"Choices, choices, choices. I think I'll let you die slowly, crying your Timmy's name and waiting for an answer that won't come. Besides, even if he did answer, he'd know you were tainted. That's all you are now, a whore," Katrina spat, allowing Trixie to take the reins again. Vicky was nowhere to be seen, the only relief in this horrid situation.

Cal and Daniela appeared at this very moment, probably the world's worst timing. Everything Cal had strived to prevent had occurred, in about an hour's time, in fact. There was nothing left now but to try to pick up the pieces.

"Tootie, how could you?" Cal moaned, glancing at his goddaughter's nudity but not really focusing on it. He could tell from the bare shoulders what had happened.

"I know, I know! Timmy's going to kill me!" She groaned, hugging her arms to her chest.

"No, we're going to kill you," Trixie and Katrina chorused, wide grins on both their faces.

"WRONG!" Jorgen Von Strangle screamed, appearing with no less than twenty armed fairies. Katrina and Trixie instantly flinched, Katrina rushing to envelop her sire in a protective hug (this way, she'd keep her own life).

"None of those three are going to kill her because she's going to Fairy World on charges!" Jorgen snapped, waving his wand in order to produce clothing. Instinctively, Cal and Daniela flew in front of her, defending her. While she wasn't her goddaughter yet, she had some obligations to her, didn't she?

"What charges would those be?" Katrina said, sniggering. "Reckless man-whore endangerment?"

"Silence!" He barked, gagging her and Trixie. They both stared up at him angrily, but, try as Katrina might, were unable to liberate themselves.

"It is time for the trial!" Waving his wand again, a large cloud of smoke appeared. His twenty fairies dispersed, cleaning up the world because of Tootie's misconduct. She neither knew nor cared of this endeavor.

Cal and Daniela clutched her tightly, just as they were transported to the highest (quite literally) court in the world, Fairy Court.

Tootie sat down in a cold, hard metal chair, all of Fairy World seemingly staring down at her. At least she was in her own universe again, but this was of little comfort. She'd just broken the only rule she'd received during her mission, not to mention she felt like a slut for doing it.

He had to rub it in her face, didn't he_? Oh, lookie here, I slept with you, you're such a sap. And now, I can show Trixie that you're a real slut, well, the Trixie of this world, anyway._

_And he's right, I am. I'm a horrible person, for letting my Timmy down, for letting Fairy World down, and for letting myself down. I just wish I wasn't here, about to be subjected to a trial under these unforgiving fairies._

:We can't speak on your behalf,: Cal informed her, frigidness seeping into his voice. He couldn't help it- he'd left her alone for only a few hours and this happened! God, what a catastrophe!

:It's not her fault,: Daniela said softly. ((She doesn't know what happened. She doesn't know Timmy cares about her.))

((And now it's too late to do anything about it! Why didn't one of us tell her?!))

((Would she have listened?)) Daniela pointed out, translucent eyes on

Tootie. Unlike Cal, she pitied Tootie's state. She knew if she'd had any inkling of what Timmy had done to her before, she wouldn't have acted so rashly.

Resting her head on her arms, she awaited Jorgen's arrival. Jorgen had had to do a sweeping job of ridding that world of Katrina, erasing memories and the like. Part of her thought he should have done that all along, in all the worlds, instead of using her as he did. (The rest of her shuddered to think of what her Timmy would make of the situation).

"Timmy, he can't tell what happened, right? Like he won't be able to look at me and say, 'oh, she's not a virgin anymore', right?" Tootie asked, edgy.

"Please tell me I'm right!"

:I wish I could,: Cal murmured, his eyes askance and not regarding her. :But, through telepathy, he can. He can feel that, somehow, you've lost your purity and-:

"He's going to hate me!" Tootie howled, beginning to cry again. "Now I've really done it!"

"Yes, you have!" Jorgen thundered, jerking her out of her lamentations over Timmy for a second. Before her appeared the entire jury council, all frowning at her. She shrank down in her chair, so only her pigtails were visible.

"STAND UP!" With a wave of his wand, she was jerked to her feet, Cal and Daniela were given substantiality, and the trial began.

"The charges are," A bland looking fairy, actually half pixie, intoned and she found her eyelids drooping. Cal had to whack her with his wand to rouse her.

"Failure to comply with Fairy World orders, insubordination, statutory seduction-"

"Excuse me- but what the hell is that? It's not statutory seduction, it's statutory rape and nothing of the sort was going on then!" Tootie said defensively, glaring at the half-breed.

"You seduced him," Jorgen said dangerously, as though an objection would be not only illegal, but also grounds for execution. Another wave of his wand procured a gag for her, since he was already so furious with her he couldn't stand another outburst.

"If you gag her," Cal snapped, "she won't be able to speak on her behalf. And, believe it or not, she might have something worth hearing."

"Quiet, puny fairy! It is not my fault she slept with him nor is it my obligation to allow her a defense. Perhaps if you were more vigilant, this wouldn't have happened!"

"Perhaps if Tootie were allowed to tell Timmy of her missions, he wouldn't have treated her like crap and she could have gone to her mission, something that you should never have assigned her, without the need to 'pay him back'. If you weren't so damn hidebound, we wouldn't be here!"

"Do not pin this on me! You are responsible for your godchild-"

"Well, I would be, but you were the one who told me to go scope out the conditions of that world, knowing that she couldn't be left alone. I hardly see how this is my fault-"

_Wow, __Cal__'s totally passionate about me. I didn't realize he cared so much, but, then again, I didn't really get to know him before Lorenzo killed him._

"Then perhaps you need to have the recent events replayed in your head!" Jorgen boomed, brandishing his wand and forcing Cal to recall everything. Thereafter, he was silent.

"How dare you do that to him!" Daniela snapped, wrapping her arms around him. "First of all, you are sending a child into a battlefield, completely unprepared, an emotional wreck, and you expect her to perform flawlessly?! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Second-"

"Silence in my court room!" Brandishing his wand again, he gagged her as well, but not before she had the last word.

"You love to wave that thing about, don't you? It keeps you from hearing the truth."

"Enough of this uproar! The pleading of the defendant is guilty! She is banished from her world, never to return, but to roam the other worlds, unable to do anything but suffer.

"There are no objections!" Jorgen roared, glaring at the jury. Most cowered, trembling. No one really messed around with Jorgen's rulings, no matter how unfair they happened to be, such as this one.

"There is one." Rising, Tootie, after removing her gag, glanced at her fairies before addressing the court. Her palms were sweaty and her knees buckled, but she didn't care anymore. If she was going to be screwed, she might as well have her say first.

"You are not permitted to speak," Jorgen snapped, holding her at wand point. She scoffed.

"You're not permitted to be such a dick, yet you are anyway," Tootie spat, causing quite a few gasps. One fairy began applauding until he was clapped on the back of the head.

"Silence! You have not earned the right to speak-"

"I think it's high time for you to shut the hell up. You've already fucked up my life, I think I'm entitled to complain.

"Yes, I slept with an alternate Timmy. I admit that I feel like a slut for doing it, and it was the wrong Timmy to sleep with, because I became ensnared in The Other's plans by doing so.

"But this is not just my fault. _Your almighty leader, _if he'd just allowed me to tell my Timmy of the missions, I wouldn't have had the worst two days of my life. I might have garnered some sympathy, instead of being smacked around and generally treated like shit.

"I'll admit, I loathe the idea of these 'missions'. But I'd do it a lot happier, and I wouldn't have slept with this Timmy if I'd been able to tell someone about them. My emotions are caged up inside and they fester-"

"You can talk to your fairies about it! Time for sentencing-" Jorgen roared, but a fairy juror interrupted him..

"I think her arguments are valid. You forget that we adopted the United States legal system, meaning she has the right to defend herself in the very least. Until she does, you cannot pass judgment," a female with teal hair squeaked, trembling but still sticking up for Tootie.

"And you forget that I'm the judge! I don't care if she was dragged by a hundred horses on her way home, nothing she did compares to screwing up the worlds this badly and knocking them out of alignment. It'll take us a good two weeks to fix everything and just because she was too flexible!" Jorgen snapped back, lording over the jury box. All cowered.

"Excuse you!" Tootie retorted, leaping over the defendant's box and landing in the middle of the courtroom. Now every eye, previously on Jorgen, returned to her. Her fists trembled in anger.

"You heard me, puny human. Your trials were nothing, nothing! You have no excuse for what you did, just over some boy. You are there to help and you-"

"You know what I think? I think you're just an inconsiderate bastard who throws children into the line of fire. You know what else I think? I think you can take the missions and cram them where the sun don't shine!

"And, you know what else?" Tootie continued dangerously. (Jorgen was so stunned and appalled at her behavior, he hadn't said a word).

"You can go fuck yourself because I quit. Didn't hear that? I'll repeat it.

"FUCK YOU!" Tootie screamed, the anger, resentment, and frustration pouring out of her in those two words. "Fuck you and your rules, your missions, all the shit you put me through. Fuck it all!"

For five minutes, the court rang with her words. The jurors stared at her, mouths agape. In, fact, she was still so angry her whole body trembled. Cal, returning to the present, stared at her as well, stunned. No one had ever dared to curse Jorgen off, everyone was afraid of him.

Jorgen himself was stunned into silence. This puny earth girl had just told him off in quite empathic terms, things he'd never heard used against him.

"Yes…well…given the changing circumstances…I think a probation is in order. Two weeks until we can repair the rip in the worlds…" He said faintly, gawking at her.

"And I'm telling Timmy," Tootie threatened, feeling the familiar surge of anger return. "_My_ Timmy, the one who thinks I'm just vanishing because _I want to_."

"You will tell him nothing. Until the missions are over, you are to tell no one of this. Are we clear?" Jorgen snapped, recovering somewhat.

"No," Tootie retorted dangerously. "I'm afraid we're not. You see, I was under the impression that you weren't such an asshole and that you'd let me try to salvage what's left of my relationships at home."

"And I was under the impression this was my court!" Jorgen roared, but she didn't quail in the slightest. Her eyes burned with fury.

"And I was under the impression I don't give a shit. You keep these fucking rules for no real reason and guess what? They're going to be broken. Because I really don't care anymore," She hissed, grabbing her fairies by the arms and leading them out the door. It slammed before Jorgen could repeat his statement.

Then again, to Tootie, it didn't matter. If Timmy asked, she could and would tell him. What was Jorgen going to do to her? Fuck it, she didn't care.

Their predicaments wore off either on their own or with help. However, the closer she got to the bridge between Fairy World and Earth, the less tangible her fairies became. Grand, she was going to be stranded here.

:Not necessarily,: Cal sent, fear enveloping him. Anyone who dared to talk to Jorgen like that was truly intimidating.

:Hold the transistor and concentrate,: Daniela instructed her, also terrified.

Closing her eyes, she did so and returned to Dimmsdale and the public library. Good, she was on probation, she could tell Timmy everything.

_Fuck Jorgen. I need Timmy…_Sighing heavily, she breathed his name. Hell, she more than breathed it, he was the blood in her veins. And if she had to keep this thing a secret for much longer, she'd go insane.

By the time she reached home, Timmy arrived. Their eyes met and then his pulled back. No…

"Whore."


	4. Desperation

Author's Note: **_Major_** The Other Saga Part Four spoilers. Read at your own risk, basically.

And Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it! Unless you're like me and you already had your holiday…

Disclaimer: I own nothing, zip, zilch, zero, the big goose egg.

Chapter Four: Desperation

She'd never been more grateful for a mission in her life. Yes, she knew that, yet again, she ran away from her responsibility, but Timmy and Vicky had grown to be too much for her. It was either stay there and slowly lose her mind or come here and quickly lose her mind. As far as torture went, she could only go so far without losing it entirely.

Stored in her bag was a picture of her and Timmy, but, little did she know that the picture had been desecrated, words scrawled on it. Timmy had _not _been happy to see her off; especially because of the amount of time she'd spent with Gary beforehand. Well, what else was she to do? Listen to him rant and rave at her? Thanks, but no thanks.

Hmph, and Vicky was a different matter altogether. Although she'd told her mistakenly about her missions (the one she'd intended to tell was Timmy, but, of course, she and her big mouth, as well as the fact she was weary of Vicky screaming her head off at her damned that idea to hell), the fact she knew about her did no good. Instead of making things better, somehow, inexplicably, things had become ten times worse. She couldn't walk ten steps without Vicky snapping at her about Lorelei, Loreto, or Katrina. Damn it, she hadn't told her just so she could be berated (fucking teapot rage).

Meanwhile, Cal and Daniela were remarkably about her newest mission; they floated noiselessly beside her in the elevator, only exchanging glances when they thought Tootie wasn't looking at them. Well, they could go fuck themselves. She didn't need them, she didn't need anyone!

If Timmy was going to treat her like shit and expect her to come crawling back for more, he had another thing coming. And here he was, screaming at her just because she wanted a little happiness! Well, if he hadn't wished Gary out of his head in the first place, he wouldn't have that competition, would he? When you boiled down it, everything was his fault.

What a cozy idea, too. When in doubt, just blame Timmy Turner. Three quarters of the time, you'll end up being correct.

Who the fuck decided she and he were soul mates, anyway? She wanted their licenses revoked post haste. She didn't want that disgusting, selfish pig in her mind, reading her thoughts. She'd sooner disembowel him than let him hear them.

Lately, all she'd been was angry. Suddenly, Vicky's view of the world revealed itself in crystal clarity and Tootie couldn't be happier. This was the way to act, she was sure of it now. Everyone pissed her off, so she was going to piss them off.

Wanda had tried to reach out to her, but she had her own problems, mostly relating to the aftermath of Juandissimo and the rebirth of Lorenzo. No matter how much she'd love to help (and Tootie didn't doubt she did), there simply wasn't enough hours in a day to deal with the person who needed her most, nor did Tootie seek her out. Personally, although she understood it to be cruel and vastly unfair, she did not wish to speak with her because she was Timmy's godmother. Anything belonging to Timmy was foul in her eyes, including Wanda.

Lorenzo, she could see, was trying to make amends, but his attempts were vastly misguided. He couldn't remain in the same room as Timmy and keep his hands to himself. Already, Wanda had had to intercede and force him out.

Part of her, the vindictive part she'd learned to embrace, wanted something horrid to happen to him. This part of her almost encouraged Lorenzo to hurt him, almost yearned for him to ravage him, teach the damn brat some humility! Let him see what happens when he's no longer in control of his own body!

Like her and that Timmy. Damn him…all she wanted was a little affection! But no, he had to use just because he was deep in lust with that little whore and her counterpart. He couldn't spare her or his fairies, he had to make them suffer.

Well, now it was her turn. Timmy always, in every universe, fucked things up, and she was going to get him. Forget friendliness, the next Timmy she saw was going to be bleeding his last on the ground. She'd leave him for dead, instead of killing him. It was more diplomatic that way.

None of this she vocalized, however. If Cal and Daniela weren't speaking, why the hell should she? Why should she donate fake conversation and make everyone happy? She wasn't happy, so they weren't going to be either. She'd bring everyone down with her.

"Tootie?" Cal inquired delicately, touching her shoulder. Immediately, her features fixed in a near permanent scowl, contorted and she flung him off. This was how it'd be recently- only Gary had she permitted to touch her, and there only on the lips. At least there was no danger of sexual intercourse there- Gary'd sooner be short of a reproductive system than get in her pants. If it weren't for the fact his goddaughter was frightening him, he'd applaud her.

"What the fuck do you want?" Tootie snapped back, drawing against the wall. In her hands was the transistor, clutched tightly. Right now, it strongly resembled a flamethrower and the thought crossed Cal's mind she might be on the side that provoked the most bloodshed, whether that be theirs or The Other. Good Lord, she terrified him…

"Drop the attitude!" Daniela retorted, visceral hands on her hips. "Who gave you permission to sass your godfather, my husband?"

"Why don't you just shut up, bitch?" Tootie spat, arms folded across her chest. "I didn't ask for your opinion or your husband's. I was having a nice inner monologue until you two rudely interrupted."

"Well, excuse me, miss hard ass! I didn't realize that Timmy'd crammed something up there so tightly, you had to become a prissy bitch," Daniela shot back, glowering. Cal mentally slapped a hand to his forehead, mentally cursing his bad luck. Rule number one of dealing with Daniela- never start a fight. She might lose a battle, but she'd never lose the war.

"Look, ghost girl thinks she can dish it out as well as take it. Ooh, I'm so scared, I'm shaking in my plaid skirt," She hissed back, radiating anger. _Bring it on, bitch._

Trembling from head to toe with anger, Daniela spat, before Cal could even think she might head down that route unfortunately, the nastiest thing she could think of. Of course, after growing up in the 'bad area' of Fairy World, this indeed was offensive. But Tootie was seriously pissing her off.

"You're going to be, believe me. Maybe not today, but when you're nineteen like your nasty older sister, whom you're turning into, you'll end up pregnant with whomever you _think _you're in love with at the moment's kid. I pity anyone who sleeps with you, though, it's gotta to be like sleeping with a dog, you're such a bitch," Daniela snapped, causing Cal's mouth to drop significantly. Oh, dear Lord…

"Or maybe you'll just die alone. Hell, I won't be waiting with you, not with that attitude. Show some respect to your elders, or we'll just leave you here…to rot," She venomously replied, pointing her wand at her chest. Then again, if she thought she'd get away with threats, she was sadly mistaken.

((What do you think you're doing, speaking to my goddaughter like that?)) Cal hissed, glowering at her. Both were of the same transparency now and he easily spun her around in midair. _Look at me when I speak to you, not my disrespectful goddaughter. Tootie, what happened to you? You've become so hard, cold- I can't believe this was the same girl that used to be so affectionate…_

((Well, I could just tell her to (a), eat shit and die, (b), choke on a dick and die, or (c), fuck herself and die, but I decided to be nice, since, hey, she's your godchild. Next time, though, don't count on it. One bad turn deserves another.)) Daniela hissed, her eyes darting over to Tootie briefly. She snarled at her and neither flinched.

_Where did the old Tootie go, anyway? Was it because of Jorgen's missions, Timmy or Vicky's reaction to them, or…Any way you look at it, though, it's his fault. He molded her into a perfect soldier, at the cost of her personality. I hope he's happy with the creature he created, because I know I'm not…_Cal thought, gazing down at her. He didn't place a hand on her shoulder again, lest he lose the arm attached.

Glowering at the walls, Tootie slid down to the floor; her arms still folded across her chest defiantly. She longed to apologize, but the words wouldn't come. This was how things had been recently, her erupting and regretting it the instant she uttered it. Why couldn't they understand? Although she was constantly angry and loathing everyone, that didn't mean she really hated them…

((You were being unduly cruel and you know that.)) Cal shot back, descending to Tootie's lap. Perhaps she would be inclined to act more civil- her eyes were less severe, at any rate. She wasn't completely jaded, was she?

"Get off," Tootie hissed, shoving him away. "Who gave you the right to touch me?"

"And who gave _you _the right to treat me like an ordinary object you can just throw away?" Cal retorted, his temper rising. It wasn't like this was the first outburst of this nature, and, in his experience, the last few months hadn't only been miserable for his goddaughter, but also for them. She'd ceased respecting them and started treating them similar to the way Timmy had when he was ten. The thought angered him more than he could say, and, now that they finally were physical enough to express themselves, they would. Tootie was no longer in a position to run away, either.

"I'm your goddaughter and you're my _property_," Tootie snapped, eliciting a gasp out of Cal and, since Daniela became physical enough to strike her, she did.

As hard she could, Daniela punched her on the chin. (What, you thought she was going to slap her?) Taken aback, Tootie didn't even defend herself, merely gazed up at her in astonishment.

"You little brat," Daniela spat, hovering above her. "You spoiled, selfish brat. Don't you say a word for the rest of the ride, or I can't be held accountable for my actions. Let's just say, heads will roll, shall we?"

She hung her head, glasses sliding down her nose. Sighing, she wrapped her arms around her knees, held to her chest and awaited the beginning of her mission. Anything to get her out of this elevator with these two.

"Don't you have anything to say to us?" Cal pressed lightly, ashamed at his explosion. _Anything at all?_

"Yeah…" Tootie murmured and they leaned forward expectantly. "Get bent."

"Listen, I understand that you're furious with Fairy World for putting you in this situation, with Timmy for persecuting you mercilessly, and with Vicky for putting the blame of her pregnancy solely on your shoulders, but taking it out on us is not going to solve anything. Why don't you tell us exactly how you feel about things instead of keeping all your anger stored up inside so you can exact your revenge on everyone who _doesn't _deserve it?" Daniela hissed, hands on her hips. No one insulted her Cal, no one. And, if she weren't so bilious, she'd correct her on a previous point. Cal had never been her husband, since they'd died before the marriage had been consecrated. Technically, then, they were living in sin.

"You want my honest opinion, Cal? I'll give it to you! Timmy thinks I'm a whore since Gary and I have been together so much, he assumes we're having sex. I've never let Gary touch me like that, because I still love Timmy so much it hurts to imagine that.

"Whenever I see him, I want to scream that I love him and he's tearing me apart…I want him to make love to me, damn it! I want him to love me…" Tootie whimpered, a tear slipping. She angrily brushed it away, loathing herself for telling the truth and for being so weak as to start crying, when she'd vowed she'd do no such thing.

Silence reigned for an instant- Cal's heart went out to her. Sighing, he descended yet again and, this time, Tootie permitted him to settle in her lap. Her eyes were clenched shut, forcing herself to stop wailing. Timmy wasn't worth her tears.

Almost inaudibly, she continued. "Why can't he just hold me and forget that I slept with another Timmy? Why does he have to berate me day and night? When did he stop loving me?"

Another tear squeezed past and then, predictably, her shoulders shook with unshed tears. Cal hugged her tightly, but she stiffened in his grasp. She should never have shown any emotion…she was a machine, not a person. Long ago, she'd lost that right to love and be loved.

Daniela, still incensed, began to shoot back a nasty reply. "Maybe he started hating you when you began acting like such a bit-"

"No," Cal said dangerously, glowering at her. "That was the effect. The cause was his resentment and inability to comprehend her situation. If anyone's to blame for this at home, it's Timmy for treating her like that."

"Stop crying, damn it! You're such a baby!" Tootie berated herself, slamming her head against the wall repeatedly. Cal held up his wand, preventing her from doing it more than twice.

Daniela stared blankly, perplexed at her mood shift. The brevity of her last one was stunning. Teenagers, of course, were prone to changes in mood, but this was greatly affected by the sheer amount of stress placed upon her. Without realizing it, her heart also went out to her, but she'd be damned if she let her know that.

_I'm such a loser, crying over him again. Gary caught me at it twice, but whenever he did, I managed to silence him with violence. Otherwise, no one ever sees me cry, not unless they want a knuckle sandwich._

_The lines of communication have become so strained between us…Timmy won't believe a word I say now, because he can't trust me. All he sees is the impurity of my soul and our telepathy, nothing else matters to him. I can't explain to him why that is, either, thanks to my sister. Bitch._

_Sure, I snuck into his bed at night, but there was nothing wrong with that, was there? I mean, if he wasn't going to give me affection waking, perhaps his subconscious might be more gracious. It was worth a shot, wasn't it?_

_And it worked…until he woke up beside me and the anger returned. Then he had to kick me out because he wouldn't listen to sense. All he heard was the lies, nothing else._

_I longed to grab him and kiss him passionately, but that part of me died. I don't think half of my personality exists any more thanks to Jorgen. Instead, I've become so cold and heartless, lashing out at anyone who opens their mouth in front of me._

_And now, I'm not sure he loves me any more. We never had a chance, thanks to The Other. I can't even remember the last time he kissed me…_

_But I'm just being stupid, pining after him. All my life I've yearned for something I'll never have, no matter how hard I tried. Perhaps it's time I just gave up…he's already taken my heart. _

_What's left to take? He can't take my virginity, that's already gone…and I have nothing left to offer. I'm just a cold heartless bitch and I'll die that way. I'll never get married, I'll never have kids…I'm not worth that much._

Before she knew it, the floodgates opened again, despite her urgency in keeping them locked securely, and she wailed out her misery, the transistor sliding out of her hands as she clasped Cal like a life preserver. She rocked back and forth, sobbing soundlessly. No words could sufficiently express this, anyway.

Softly, via telepathy so Tootie didn't hear it, Cal remarked, ((I knew it wasn't in her to harbor anger. When we were conferring with Jorgen and Fairy World, campaigning to have her missions returned to her as soon as possible, she must have spent the time crying in solitude. She doesn't want anyone to see how badly she's been hurt, not after Timmy's reaction.))

((But how can she just go from being pissed off to bawling her eyes out? I told she was bipolar, Cal-)) Daniela sent with a twinge of irritancy, which he returned in full. She said this before, when she was dismissing Tootie's problem with Timmy and voluntarily leaving her alone with him. Daniela's version of helping tended to make things worse rather than better.

((She isn't bipolar!)) He retorted fiercely. ((She's just stressed out right now! And your rows with her don't help the matter!))

((Well, I'm sorry. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth like some people, I had to _talk _my way out of things. So I'll be damned if I have to keep my mouth shut for anyone, especially that little brat! Damn it, Cal, she called you her property!))

((I know what she called me and why she called me that. And it's not like I chose my parents, you know. You assume everything but know nothing!))

((Maybe I don't, but at least I don't _act _like I do!))

((I'm not arguing with you, Daniela,)) Cal sent sternly.

((Then what the hell do you call this?!))

((A violent disagreement.))

((Wanna make it a fight? C'mon, if I can't lay a hand on your precious Tootie, I can still kick _your_ ass!))

((I am not fighting with you.))

((Why not, afraid to hit a girl? Or are you afraid of getting beaten by one?))

Not a second too soon, the elevator dinged, indicating their arrival. Cal and Daniela ceased arguing (the latter of whom gunning for a fight), Tootie slammed her head so hard against the wall, she saw stars, and they were 'treated' to their first view of the new world. What would be in store for them? Well, whatever it was, it'd be better than bickering.

Tootie sighed heavily, grinding her fist into her eyes. Already, she assumed the fighting stance, weary but ready. She'd kick their ass…she thought.

"I wonder who The Other possessed in this world?" Cal murmured, floating ahead of her. Other than a few oddly colored houses and a purple sky, nothing else was out of the ordinary. This had to be the least changed world they'd encountered, which implied one of three things- (one), The Other hadn't gotten terribly far in this universe, (two), he/she was almost vanquished, or (three), this was an illusion and they'd best be on their toes. Given the probability of the lattermost, it was best to be vigilant. Danger could lurk from any corner.

"Didn't Fairy World tell you?" Tootie remarked conversationally. Inwardly, her blood boiled and her fists clenched and unclenched. Whatever was coming, bring it on. Even if it was another Loreto…

_Yes, but upon discovering it, we thought it best to keep it from you, just in case you'd 'flip out', which, mind you, you might do anyway. Nevertheless, we're rather weary of being the brunt of your anger. No offense, my dear godchild, but get over it! At least, for the time being._

Suddenly, the sky, formerly a clear, resplendent blue, darkened. An enormous cloud of gloom materialized, pink and green flickering inside. Peculiar…Cosmo and Wanda were the cloud? But why?

And where was Timmy? Always, no matter how much of a dick he was, they met up with him. Instead, the horizon was depressingly bleak, no humanity in sight.

Maybe The Other had killed it, but no, that didn't work either. Jorgen, even if he were pissed at her, wouldn't waste her and Fairy World's time by sending her to a place devoid of a mission. He was the leader and it'd look bad were he wasting her time in a war that didn't need to be fought. Well, she supposed at least _some _leaders didn't do that, she couldn't speak for all of them, of course.

Meanwhile, the fallen leaves crunched beneath her feet, leading her to surmise that it was near autumn. Despite this, the trees held few leaves, the lack thereof not enough to fill the ones littering the streets. Where had they all gone?

An ill wind rustled the trees as well as her hair and, if she sniffed, she could swear the scent of blood carried. Why was it, always, The Other created a desolate world, fraught with bloodshed and agony? Couldn't she ever get an easy mission? Did they always screw things up so badly for everyone, including her?

It was almost like they knew it was her and deliberately did this. _Everyone, hey, c'mon and make Tootie's life even more miserable than it is now! See the girl whose boyfriend doesn't believe she loves him and the boy who's trying to get into her pants? Laugh, bitches and gentlemen! _

Normally, she didn't tend to be this selfish, and she knew she should count her blessings she was permitted here at all, considering her behavior towards Jorgen before, but even so…When she couldn't calm herself down internally and see things through an objective perspective, how on earth was she supposed to help anyway? The only thought running through her mind was to beat the living shit out of Timmy…which really wouldn't help matters at all.

All that boy did was wreck her emotions, send her into a downward spiral. Every time she tried to get close to him, he pushed her away. Okay, so the only time she'd tried to get close to him was when, oddly enough, it'd turned out she was sleep walking. But he still pushed her away when he woke up!

_I love him…but I want to pound him into the ground…There's definitely something wrong with me, but I don't care anymore. I stopped caring so long ago…_

The sensation of detachment had become commonplace for Tootie. It was blissful apathy, allowing her to deal with the fact Vicky was ruining her life again, as was Timmy. In fact, her life was now worse than when she was nine, thanks to Lorenzo.

In a way, she ought to be grateful to The Other. He and all his counterparts had taught her the importance of hatred and, no matter how hard you tried, no one would love you. You were alone in this world and you would die alone.

She just had to accept that. Timmy never loved her, would never love her, and that was that. Nothing she could do would make him love her…or even kiss her. She had to resign herself to the truth.

But the truth was a particularly painful pill to swallow, one she wasn't sure she was ready for. At night, when her arms ached for him and, in the dark, when she sobbed his name, she knew she could never let him go. She'd pine for him until the day she died.

_The day I die…alone…_

Touching her shoulder gingerly and jarring her out of her reverie, Cal indicated a small girl, limping, heading towards them. However, a closer look informed them she was not small, but slight, starved in all likelihood. She kept her gaze fixated on the cracked concrete, her shoulders quivering.

A tattered white shirt clung to her body, rips and blood evident on her sides. An equally tattered skirt dangled, its owner apparently unconcerned with its appearance.

_Welcome to the club, _She thought bitterly, rubbing her arms for warmth.

Tootie scrutinized the house and frowned. It bore a strikingly similar appearance to her former house, back in her universe. That meant the girl, struggling to traverse the marble stepping stones in front of the house, was her counterpart. Pathetic.

She'd put money on it that this was Timmy's doing. Of course, everything came back to him. As soon as she saw him, oh, was she going to let him have it! Now she didn't even need an excuse to go after him.

Eyes narrowed to slits, Tootie, gritting her teeth, clenched her fists and strolled up to her counterpart. Cal and Daniela, converting into flowers, watched warily. Tootie was far too cocky for her own good.

Of course, they'd known there was a distinct possibility she might be, but they'd hoped to have more control over her than the slight they had. She was a ticking time bomb, desperate to regain her love but despising him for his treatment. The agony of constantly being spurned by her true love was tearing her apart inside.

((Tootie…)) Cal warned sternly. ((Something drastic has happened here…I don't think it's terribly brilliant for you to charge up to your counterpart without first checking out your surroundings-))

_Like you barely have. You're not doing your homework and you're going to end up in a world of trouble if you're not careful. I mean, look what happened in our last mission? _

_Now, things are worse. You'll start beating on Timmy's counterpart…but I'd still be willing to bet if he kissed you, you'd kiss him back…You need him like a drug, Tootie…_

((I _think _I've done this a few times, Cal,)) Tootie retorted, folding her arms across her chest. ((And who was assigned the mission, you or me? Unless you've got something important to say, shut the fuck up.))

Again with the attitude. The idea Daniela had brought up surfaced, but he did not mention it to her. Frankly, Tootie turning into a younger version of her sister was _not _an appealing prospect by any means. However, thanks to Fairy World, she'd a one way ticket to it.

She was pushing Timmy away, but she secretly longed for him more than ever. At night, when she thought no one was around, Cal was awake, watching over her. There, when Gary wasn't holding her tightly (she like a statute in his arms), Tootie broke down completely. In fact, when Gary wasn't there, Tootie cried herself to sleep _every single night_.

It truly bothered him to see his goddaughter so miserable, but she flat-out refused to talk about it. Gary only knew a bit, what he'd garnered from her. Otherwise, she bottled everything up, erupting at innocent bystanders.

As a flower, Cal ground his teeth, trembling in anger. For one brief second, she'd let down her guards, but here they were again, flaring as though they'd never vanished. It was hard to believe this was the same girl who'd sobbed like her heart was breaking.

Faking cordiality, Tootie put up a hand to halt her counterpart. The girl merely shrugged and continued. What the hell?! She was _not_ going to stand around and be ignored by her counterpart!

"Yo!" She snapped, grabbing her by the arm. Her counterpart actually traveled a few more steps before realizing she was caught. Damn…she was unusually thick in this universe.

"Please release me…I must locate Timothy…the boy has gone missing again and if I do not find him, Victoria and Vicky will force me to pleasure them again…" AU Tootie murmured, struggling feebly against her. Instead of releasing her, Tootie tightened her grasp, pulling her into a semi bear hug, just to pin her.

"Release me…I command you…"

_Okay…this definitely registers high on the weirdness factor…_"Who the hell is Victoria?" Tootie asked, freaked out a little because her counterpart hadn't noticed the girl holding her tightly was herself, in another form. Customarily, this was the first thing anyone noticed.

"Let go…" AU Tootie whispered, tilting her face in Tootie's direction. Our Tootie jumped, startled- her eyes were dead inside. Whatever had happened to her, it'd ruined her.

"Tell me who Victoria is!" Tootie snapped, losing her patience. Honestly, she didn't give a shit what had happened to her, as long as she could fix it. Let her drown in sorrow, whatever.

Cal and Daniela shook their heads at her, disapproving immensely of her tactics. She was here to fix things; she should care about the well-being of those inhabiting this world. If she was so rough on herself, how would she react to an AU Timmy? The encounter was likely to be disastrous.

"Victoria is my dear sister's anti-fairy. I love her with all my heart," She whispered, sounding as though this had been drilled in her head. It _had _to be- Vicky a dear sister?! Since when? What the hell was she on?!

"Now, if you do not mind, I must depart…" The girl whispered and promptly passed out. Taken aback, Tootie sunk to the ground and continued to hold her counterpart to her, but now for a different purpose. When she'd removed her hand from her arm, blood was on her hand…

Very carefully, Cal and Daniela returning to their fairy forms, she examined her. Various lacerations littered her body, accompanied with what looked like an extremely painful branding on her backside and her lower abdomen. Rage filling her, for she still ascribed to the theory this was Timmy's doing, she yanked her counterpart's shirt up so she could gaze at the iron branding.

Her counterpart cried out and began to stir. Cal, his frown so deeply engraved, he'd receive permanent frown wrinkles, waved his wand swiftly, sending her into another dreamless slumber. It wouldn't do for her to start struggling again on account of a foolish move on Tootie's part.

((You have to be gentler…it's obvious she's been injured badly in the past. You could do even more grave injuries now if you rupture anything that healed previously.)) Cal advised her, gasping at what she'd unearthed.

Branded into her stomach (and, if they'd checked, her backside as well), were Vicky and Victoria's initials. It stated that this was their property and if anyone else touched her, they would be murdered. She was their sex slave.

"Better them than Timmy," Tootie retorted, grinding her teeth. Yes, she knew, logically, they were the worst possible combination for her counterpart, if the past versions of The Other were any indication, but right now, she could hardly think straight. Personally, if it were up to her, she'd say 'yeah, I made things better- now she no longer has Timmy to bother her and the world is a safer place', but she couldn't. Besides, if she walked out here, where was she supposed to go? She couldn't go home, that was for damn sure.

A black shadow passed overhead and all three shivered. It was far too dangerous to be out in the open like this, best to find some shelter.

But where to go? All the buildings loomed, foreboding, and her counterpart's weight was not as slight as she'd surmised. A heavy burden weighed her down, one Daniela conjectured correctly to be the disposal of dark magic within. She simply would not budge more than an inch.

And there was a matter of locating her Timmy. Loath though she was to admit it, she did not want to invoke the wrath of Vicky and her Other. That meant, unfortunately…it was time for a mini-mission.

-------

"I hate playing babysitter," Daniela muttered under her breath as she healed all she could of AU Toot's injuries. Some, however, would not heal with the most persistent spell and she suspected dark magic afoot. Perhaps the 'brand' was no ordinary human iron.

Biting back a retort, Cal applied the most powerful healing magic he knew, which only partly healed her brands. The Others had to have strong magic, didn't they? She'd never be rid of this…

"At least we have the easy job…" Cal murmured.

------

"This sucks!" Tootie snapped, kicking a large rock out of her way. As if on cue, the winds gained ferocity, whipping her long, free hair about. It toyed with her leather, red mini-skirt, but, fortunately, it was too tight to rise thanks to the wind. (Although, truthfully, it ended way too far up for her tastes).

Hugging her fourteen year old frame to herself, she actively searched the streets for any signs of the AU Timmy. Although she could not see him, she dared not to call out for him, lest she attract any other unwarranted attention. She knew nothing of Victoria, but, if she sprang from Vicky, she had to be a vixen.

Mournful cries reached her eyes and she froze, poised to strike. The transistor transformed into a sword, but, then, inexplicably, it became dormant again. Perhaps she'd lowered her own guard…or the transistor did not view whatever cried as a threat. Either or, she'd best investigate, post haste.

"Daddy!" The bottom dropped out of her stomach- a child? And, out of the corner of her eye, a child with black hair, a pink headband, white skirt, and a little perky nose…No…

Creeping slowly (for her mind would not permit her feet to halt, as much as she yearned for them to), Tootie kept almost supernaturally silent. Now, by forcing the transistor to convert into binoculars, she saw the child in clarity. And how she wished she couldn't…

Obviously, the two year old was Trixie's. However, amidst the resemblances to Trixie, there were a few to Timmy. Her counterpart had lost the war…

Sweeping glances assured him, that, because Tootie was well hidden, he was not being watched. Timmy stepped out to scoop his daughter up and hug her tightly. She had to hear what they were saying…so she creeped a little closer…

"Daddy…when's Mommy coming home?" The little girl cried, wrapping her arms around her father's small frame. A child having a child…but why? It wasn't like the universe with Loreto, where they'd been forced to. Why would Timmy voluntarily become a father?

And what happened to Trixie? Could the reason he had a child be that he needed to keep some part of Trixie with him? Had they loved each other here? What did that mean for Tootie?

"Tina, Mommy isn't coming home…ever," Timmy sighed, cuddling his daughter. Her cherub cheeks shone angelically and Tootie's fists clenched so tightly, she ground her nails into her palm, starting to bleed. She was far too sweet looking…and reminded her painfully that her Timmy could leave her at any minute. In fact, for all she knew, he was already trying to make babies with her…

A painful tear slid down her face and she was grateful for one thing- no one could see her cry. And, if they did, they'd just think it was this universe's Tootie and wouldn't know why she was crying. Excellent…because she couldn't stop now.

Sinking to her knees, Tootie sobbed silently, wrapping her arms around herself. A keen cry of grief escaped her, but before she could fully enunciate it, a hand clamped over her mouth. This was accompanied by a damp rag and unconsciousness…

-------

The next thing she knew was a warm room, where she was seated in a throne and a tiara was placed on her head. Before her, in shackles, was that universe's Timmy and his daughter, Tina. The small girl clutched her father like a life preserver, only the occasional squeak flitting past her lips. She was terrified but hiding it well. Perhaps she thought these two would simply vanish.

"Here we have a traitor and his daughter. What do you think we ought to do to them?" A female, with long red hair that swept the floor, a black, skin tight dress, sleeveless with a V-cut, inquired. Her extraordinary pink fingernails, extending to at least a foot, clawed Timmy's face. Meanwhile, Vicky was 'playing' with the child, waiting for the moment to slit her throat.

Tina's eyes shone brightly, peculiarly. Tootie gathered the sense she wasn't entirely human, but if she wasn't human, what was she? Where were Cosmo and Wanda in all this, anyway?

"Tootie!" Timmy hissed, his face drawn tightly. Silently, she mouthed, 'I am not your Tootie' but he either wouldn't understand or couldn't. She glowered in response and searched for the transistor, only to discover she didn't have it. The girl with the long red hair did.

And if she had it, our Toot was screwed royally. She couldn't understand why they'd captured her…_She _wasn't their Tootie, a simple glance could tell that. But what if they thought she was? Oh, what trouble she was in…

"Your spurned lover, that's right," The girl smirked, twirling her hair and, gracefully, stepped towards Tootie to lightly circle her nipple. An involuntary shiver ran through her body and she jerked, a phantom power slipping inside her body.

_No…get away from me…I'm not her Tootie, damn it!_

Desperately, she forced herself to choke out the truth of her mission in front of these four and clear her name. Swallowing hard, the words came…but could not be spoken. Someone was controlling her vocal cords.

That wasn't all. Any time she sent a message to any of her limbs, or even her fingers, they would not cooperate. There was something else inside her, controlling her.

Strange compulsions seized her and she fought them angrily, to no avail. Someone, one of them, wanted her to make out with them. It was either her counterpart of her sister (if she could shudder, she would) or The Other…Victoria, was it? In either case, if she'd free will, she'd sooner vomit, but she'd been robbed of her options.

Unbidden, her legs commanded the rest of her to rise up and wrap her arms around Vicky. Bile rose in Tootie's throat and she fought the urge _not _to retch. She yearned to throw up, to exercise some desire, but another voice told her she couldn't. She was no longer Tootie the person, but Tootie the sex slave.

((Timmy!)) Tootie screamed desperately, her legs carrying her to AU Vicky. Of The Other's accord, her arms wrapped about Vicky's waist and her lips kissed her cheek. God…why wouldn't she let her throw up?

((The worst is yet to come,)) Victoria retorted, smiling sardonically. With a wave of her finger, she forced Tootie to kiss Vicky on the lips.

Nausea arose and she could hear the anti fairy laughing in her mind. Vicky ran her tongue along her lips, demanding entrance. However, Victoria wanted to wait a little while, as she informed her. Let Vicky get some patience. Tootie yearned to sink into the floor and die.

((Timmy!)) Tootie howled, uncertain which Timmy she was reaching but caring little. For once, she admitted it- she needed him. Badly.

The last time she'd communicated with him out of her own universe was so long ago, it seemed like it belonged to another life. The life when Timmy needed her, instead of the other way around. Would he be there for her? It seemed extremely unlikely.

((I thought I told you I wasn't talking to you! Where the hell are you anyway, tramping around with another version of me again?)) So she'd reached her own Timmy, wonderful…and she still couldn't tell him. She'd squandered her two people, thanks to Vicky.

((I was going to ask you to tell me that you loved me and that you'd never leave me, but I can tell now you're too busy hating me. I'll just shut up and never bother you again…and if you see Trixie while you're making out with her, tell her I understand why I lost out.))

With that, she quit the link, but a distant echo reached her. It didn't make any sense, however, so she disregarded it. Perhaps, in retrospect, she shouldn't have…

((Tootie…I love you and I'd never leave you…))

Before she knew it, Vicky's tongue was inside her mouth, roaming and exploring all there was to explore. Her hands slid under her shirt and unhooked her bra. God, no…this was much worse than anything that AU Timmy before had done…

((Cal!)) ((Daniela!)) Tootie screamed, desperate to reach either one. (She sent into two separate lines, just in case one of them didn't get it).

"I heard the slave wasn't good today," Victoria crooned, shoving Timmy to the side for a moment and, indicating Vicky move to the side for a second, caressed Tootie's shoulder.

"Princess Tootie disobeyed orders," Vicky smirked, grinding against her. Tootie could only gaze up at her sister and feel the revulsion sweep her body. Where were her fairies when she needed them most?

((Cal!)) Tootie screamed desperately. ((For the love of God!))

"So she has to be punished, doesn't she?" Victoria smirked, slipping a hand under her skirt. Timmy's eyes widened, disbelieving she could possibly be enjoying this and his daughter…had the most peculiar expression on her face. A flicker of pink showed in her blue eyes…pink and green. Cosmo and Wanda?

((Cal!))

((Tootie? Are you all right?)) Cal's reply was weak and, with a sidelong glance at Victoria, she realized…she knew about them. She also knew this wasn't her Tootie…but she didn't care. She was going to brand her anyway.

"Yes, but let's wait until our Tootie gets back here," Vicky crooned. "Then we'll have ourselves a gay little party, won't we?"

"With two fairies roasted over an open flame!" The Other cheered, hugging herself, for goosebumps had appeared. Her eyes fell upon Tina again and she frowned.

"That girl…she stinks of fairies…like Cosmo and Wanda…" Victoria murmured, the names causing Timmy to flinch. Tina merely smiled, a hint of a crown glimmering above her head.

"Do we have to wait for my real sister to show up? I want this one…" Vicky pouted, licking Tootie's neck. By The Other's control, she shut her eyes, apparently giving off the impression she enjoyed being licked by a girl who resembled her sister in every manner.

"And I think she's miserable, too. I caught her crying over the twerp before." Grinning like the Cheshire cat, Vicky began to unbutton her blouse. Tootie moaned, but her thoughts, the only things that were her own, screamed in disgust.

"Fine. Break her in for me while I go find our real sister. I'll bring in the two playmates, too." The Other grinned cheekily, lavishing the fact there were two more fairies for her to massacre slowly.

"Can do," Vicky replied, pushing Tootie back onto the chair and trailing her tongue down her chest. "You."

((Timmy!)) Tootie screamed again, recalling she'd dismissed him but reduced to contacting him again. ((Timmy…please…help…(sob))

-----

"They're coming," Alternate Tootie suddenly said, awakening immediately. Her eyes swept the room, but, upon finding no sign of them, grew more agitated instead of less. She scooped Cal and Daniela, barely looking at them, into her arms and ran as fast and as far as she could.

Her legs took her towards the remnants of Dimmsdale Park, across from Il Maestro, were it still there. By now, her lungs burned and she collapsed, still hugging the fairies to her chest. She'd protect them…they the precious little left to her.

Years ago, Timmy had chosen Trixie over her…and, then, when she'd confronted him, she'd made a tragic mistake of leaving one of Vicky's camcorders on afterwards. The rest, she feared, was history.

"Coming…for me…just like before…so long ago…" She murmured, absently stroking Cal's hair. Daniela, none too fond of this arrangement, weaseled her way out of her arms and glared at her.

"If you have a story to tell, tell it already. You're holding up the line," Daniela spat, folding her arms across her chest. Her wand, as usual, was cocked away, this time in the girl's direction.

Cal said nothing, either against or for her, but he knew why she was acting like this. She was still furious with Tootie and, although this wasn't the Tootie she was furious with, in Dan's mind, it was close enough. He'd better act as a mediator, just in case things got ugly, as they were apt to do.

The weathered park benches, lined with charred slabs, looked as if they'd survived a great war. Knowing Vicky, they probably had- the mere thought of such great power probably sent her in cartwheels, much less having a being that could do a potentially huge amount of damage. And she had…

"It began two years ago…when the world ended…"

------

_"Timmy!" Tootie screamed, banging on his door urgently. "Damn it, Timmy, this is an emergency!"_

_Fists bloody, she beat harder against the door, already having shattered the glass front door. She'd tried his phone line, but he'd deliberately left it off the hook. She'd tried his window, but he'd pushed the ladder away and she'd nearly broken her neck. The only thing left to her was the front door, but he hadn't answered his doorbell or her frantic pounding._

_Timmy had to hear her out, he was the only one she knew in her neighborhood that didn't view her as a complete loon. Moreover, he was the only one who would believe her. Her parents, as Vicky had informed her, would never believe her._

_Desperate, she'd headed straight for Timmy, only he hadn't answered yet. Didn't he understand this was an emergency? That she needed him badly enough to risk further injury?_

_The glass had split her palm open, but she decided she didn't care. If Timmy wouldn't listen to her, she had no choice but to return home…and let Vicky rape her again. Thinking about it made her burst into tears again._

_"Timmy!" Tootie howled, slamming her head against the door. She saw stars, but she didn't pass out. Nevertheless, Timmy did not answer his damn door._

_However, trying the lock told her the door was already open…damn it. She'd wasted valuable energy trying to get his attention when she could just walk into his room. That was what she was going to do…walk into his room, collapse into his arms, and tell him everything. He'd believe her, he had to. He was, after all, Timmy Turner, her god._

_And…after she collapsed into his arms, he'd feel so sorry for her, he'd kiss her. Then he'd be hers, finally. No more Trixie Tang, no Veronica, no one in her way._

_Taking the steps two at a time, Tootie hurtled towards his room and flung the door open. What she saw, however, made her stumble backwards and head straight for the bathroom._

_Timmy and Trixie…in a less than chaste position. She was pleasing him, in fact, and the thought made her vomit. Wrapping her mouth around…Oh, Dear Lord…_

_Tears and vomit mixed in the toilet, but she didn't care. No one held her hair back as she threw up, no one cared that she was eyeing the blades and the medicine cabinet…no one gave a damn about her…_

_"Tootie!" Timmy called, dressing hastily. Blearily, she regarded him briefly before she darted, weaving back and forth, out of the bathroom. She wanted none of this…_

_"Damn it, Tootie!" Timmy snapped, running down the stairs. "We love each other!"_

_"Fuck you!" Tootie suddenly spat, turning around. "I really needed you to be there for me and there you were, with your new girlfriend, giving you a blowjob! I hope you had fun!"_

_She then slammed the door, but something in one of her pigtails fell out. Timmy swept down to pick it up, Cosmo and Wanda appearing behind him. Wanda frowned, recognizing the item but not sure from where._

_"Guys…" Timmy murmured, fingering the item…with a lens…taped 'property of Vicky'…transmitting to her house… _

_"What did I do?" _

_"Sweetie, she came in here bleeding and you were too busy with Trixie to notice. I know you think she's annoying and creepy, but you're all she has…" Wanda murmured, eyes flickering towards the staircase. She knew Trixie and Timmy were an item, and she disapproved of underage sex, but she wasn't going to say anything about that just now. _

_Not that she'd let it slide completely, but, for the moment, it wasn't as important._

_"Couldn't she call or something?!" Timmy snapped, folding his arms across his chest, but his gaze flickered over to the phone…off the hook. She might have tried to call, but it hadn't gone through. Damn._

_"Or ring the doorbell?" Wanda inquired, pointing towards the unlocked door. "I think she did that, sport."_

_"Yeah, but you were too busy getting he-" Cosmo began, but Wanda clamped a hand over his mouth. Tasteless remarks rarely had a time or a place, but this definitely was not the time for them._

_"I don't know what she was so excited about, anyway," Timmy said defensively, biting his lip. He'd heard her throw up and instantly recognized the reason- seeing Trixie like that with him. On some level, he realized she wanted to be the one to do that, no matter how degrading she might think it. She wanted to make him happy because she loved him…only he didn't love her._

_And he never would. _

------

"Vicky told me the rest," Tootie said dully. "About how she cornered Timmy about Cosmo and Wanda and, ultimately, forced him to give her a fairy of her own…Victoria's supposed to be her _light _side. Heaven help us all…"

_She's only slightly less evil than Vicky and even more attracted to me. Between the two of them, I've lost my sense of self-worth. _

"Where are Cosmo and Wanda now?" Cal inquired politely, wondering just what Tootie had gotten herself into. Whatever it was, she'd screamed his name twice and he hadn't really replied. Truth be told, he was rather worried.

"Dead," AU Tootie replied dully, hugging her knees to her chest. "Before Victoria got to 'em, Tina was born…Timmy knew they were planning to kill Cosmo and Wanda and wished for them to live on…through his daughter."

"They'd pinpointed the exact day they were supposed to die…and arranged for Trixie to give birth then." She swallowed hard, a lump rising in her throat. The memory of Trixie pregnant with her beloved's child clearly tortured her, to this day.

"Everything was perfect…except Trixie died in childbirth. Well, that's the theory Timmy gave…but I know better…Victoria took over my body and made me kill her…I could feel my hands wrap around her throat…"

Tears sprang and, for the first time in ages, since she'd last had control over her body and her emotions, AU Tootie wailed. She'd murdered the only woman Timmy had ever loved and, by doing that, she'd hurt him badly. No matter how much she hated Trixie, she made him happy. And she'd stolen his happiness from him.

Trixie didn't have to become pregnant, she'd opted to. She wanted to carry Timmy's baby as a way of showing how much she loved him…and also, that she knew her own death was imminent. Vicky, while using Tootie, also hated Timmy and had to hurt him anyway she could. There was also the added bonus of hurting Tootie when he did so, so why not?

She'd seen her for nine months, caressing her stomach. Before Tina had been born, she'd loved her…and she'd never seen her face, thanks to her. Thanks to her…

Victoria rarely allowed her to have control over her own body anymore. Ever since Trixie's untimely death, she'd deigned to make her a slave. This was both for fun and for insurance- she didn't trust Tootie alone. There was too great a chance someone would die, namely her.

Moments passed like eternity before AU Tootie spoke again. By now, she'd calmed herself sufficiently and, clearing her throat, continued.

"The instant Tina was born, Cosmo and Wanda infused themselves in her. Tina, essentially, has the appearance and mannerism of a two year old, but she is them. They can do magic through her…they're just waiting to be reborn.

"Souls live on, you know? And, if I could have done anything for Timmy…I would have made sure Trixie lived through him…

"I'm not sure if he knows I'm not myself anymore, I'm what they made me. And…oh, shit!" Realization struck her, and snatching Cal and Daniela, she began to run towards her house. The bewildered fairies poofed ahead of her and stared blankly.

"Why are you heading _back_?" Daniela inquired, wrinkling her nose. "You're going to-"

"Timmy's going to be killed today! That was why I was assigned to round him up- they wanted to kill him and finally kill Cosmo and Wanda through Tina!" AU Tootie called, shoving the fairies aside. She offered no more tidbits, finally colliding into Victoria on her way in.

The other girl's eyes widened in astonishment- she'd run towards her? Well, perhaps all that brain control, she'd permanently damaged something. Well, she'd care, but, then again, a brain dead slave was better than a live one.

Recently, though, she'd noticed, ever since Tootie had discovered the death date, she'd become increasingly withdrawn, requiring the control so often, she didn't function for a minute on her own. It was though she was trying to kill herself by tricking them…

Very gently shoving her aside, she cast a glance into the room and finally, at long last, realized the girl she'd encountered before was her, only in another form. Whomever it was, she felt bad for her, already pinned on the floor and half naked. That was supposed to be her duty.

"I'm sick of waiting," Vicky drawled, rising from our Toot and producing a gun. She twirled it on her finger, aiming at the green/pink crown shimmering above Tina's head before, after Victoria moved aside to get a better look and AU Tootie peered in, she aimed it at Timmy's heart. Timmy, swallowing hard, stared the gun down.

She leered back at him, her eyes narrowed in anger. His death was imminent, but she liked to prolong the inevitable. Not a pin could be heard, not a person breathed. Both Tooties' hearts beat intensely, threatening to burst from their chests.

Meanwhile, Tina, oddly enough, was calm and collected. A pink crown shone over her head…Wanda.

It only took a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Our Toot, powerless, watched Timmy die as though time was frozen…just like her counterpart. Only, AU Tootie could finally scream…

"TIMMY!" She shrieked, flinging herself on top of his corpse. Vicky hadn't bothered to merely shoot one, but had aimed for about five in the head. He hadn't had a prayer.

"Oh, Timmy…I'm so sorry…Timmy…" She buried her head in his chest and kissed his t-shirt. He was still warm…

"Get off him! Since when do you have control over your body?!" Vicky screeched, the transistor dropping out of her pocket. So close but yet so far…as cruel as this was, she had to get that thing back, no matter what the consequences were for her counterpart. Too bad she couldn't create a diversion.

"Leave her alone," Tina spoke and all heads turned into her direction. Instead of speaking like Tootie had heard her before, Wanda now spoke through her. Her hair turned to the pink bun, her t-shirt to yellow, her skirt became pants, and, except for the lack of wings and wand, she was Wanda reborn.

"Don't interfere!" Victoria snapped, creating a black ball of energy which would swiftly suck Wanda and Cosmo out of the small girl and kill them. Once souls were exposed, they shriveled up and died. No soul could exist outside a body.

A green aura enveloped Tootie and she gasped- Cosmo? Well, logically speaking, it made sense- Wanda had control now, but, if she was here, he had to be too. If they were sharing the same body, which they might be, he didn't need to be present in her to function. And if he'd smarted up a little since he'd started to share the body, which meant he knew more magic, which meant…

Collapsing onto all fours, Tootie gasped again, this time for the rightful breaths she couldn't take before. Victoria's control over her was gone and she could finally, at long last, seize back the transistor.

It promptly turned into a wand, allowing her to redress and then, she stood. By now, however, none were noticing her, their eyes glued to Tina, or, rather, Wanda. A tidbit of Cal's information concerning her mission surfaced and she recalled what it was she had to do.

Transferring into another black ball of energy, the transistor swiftly, operating by her thought alone, sought out Victoria. It hovered close to where her heart would be in front, only now it lingered by her back, so as not to be noticed. Judging by the path, it'd rip out her soul, supposing she had one, and her duty then became to prevent the soul from (a), rejoining, and (b), she must murder the body.

Her counterpart, meanwhile, kept pressing her face into Timmy's chest and pressing it, hoping for a heartbeat that she had to know would never come. Tears streamed down her face as she desperately denied his death.

"Enough!" Vicky screamed, knocking Tina backwards. The girl glowered at her, returning to Wanda again. Vicky soon found herself in a stasis, completely frozen.

"Who are you?" Tootie whispered, her eyes rooted to Tina. "Are you Wanda or Tina?"

"There _is _no Tina," The girl replied, tracing Victoria's outline with her finger and paralyzing her as well. "Trixie and Timmy's child was born stillborn."

"There never was a Tina. It was just us, waiting to be reborn. Tina died before she was ever born, because, through Tootie, our Tootie, Victoria found out about her. She thought if she killed the child while she was still in the womb, she'd never be born.

"And she thought if we didn't know we were going to be killed, we'd be out of the way forever. But Tootie, who could sometimes escape them, told us. She still threw herself away for Timmy, even though she knew by then it was hopeless. His heart was completely Trixie's and vice versa," Wanda completed, waving her finger one last time, to prevent her Tootie from snatching the blade hidden in her pocket and slashing her wrists or stabbing herself in the heart.

"Little bitch…" Victoria suddenly hissed, her teeth gritted. Although she couldn't move, she could still speak and this 'victory' was starting to piss her off.

Vicky, glaring hatefully at Tina/Wanda, spat her next few words at Tootie. "I suppose you're that little goody goody from the other universe, supposed to make our life a gumdrop paradise?"

Instead of answering, Tootie glared in response. She wasn't sharing anything with these two.

"Let me tell you something, _brat_. Your counterpart _begged _for us to take her. Timmy had rejected her so soundly, she accepted affection from anyone, including us," Vicky snapped.

"No matter what she might have told you, supposing you two spoke at all, it isn't true. She never fell out of love with Turner, that's true. But what she didn't tell you is the night she found Timmy and Trixie, she came onto Vicky.

"She offered herself for her because she knew no one else would have her. And she was right, no one did.

"Turner's friends were far too occupied with themselves and, ultimately, they left Dimmsdale with their parents. Good riddance. If she'd even bothered to go to them, she wouldn't have found sympathy there, either.

"The only person in the world who _acted _like she understood her was Vicky. She kissed away her tears, comforted her…and took some 'sisterly' perks, such as seducing her. Tootie let her, because, once again, she knew everyone else thought she was a freak.

"Those brands on her body were to confirm the obvious- Timmy's heart belonged to Trixie, so Tootie belonged to us. She did everything we wanted, in exchange for bodily pleasure. We loved her," Victoria said, but there was a smirk on her face.

"Or, should we say, we loved her body," Vicky cackled, struggling against the spell. AU Toot's face, already ashen, turned completely white. She pressed her face one last time into Timmy's chest, but shivered- it was growing cold.

"You used her," Tootie hissed, fists clenched.

"Oh, don't think of it like that. Think of it more as we were the only lovers she'd ever have," Vicky and Victoria chorused, and AU Toot, disentangling reluctantly from Timmy, glowered at them.

"I didn't come onto you, Vicky…" She began slowly, trembling badly. "You…you were the one who held me while I was crying…and then…"

"Then?" Vicky sneered. "Don't you remember? You kissed me. Don't lie."

She quieted, ashamed. All she remembered of that night was Trixie's mouth, the toilet bowl, and Vicky…forcing her to feel aroused. Forcing her to stop crying by any means necessary.

Then, later on, she felt her rage and stole it from her. Victoria seized control of her body and sent her to kill Trixie…

She'd only merited the control because she'd known when Timmy was going to die. No matter how hurt she was by seeing them like that, she loved him enough to protect him. Yes, his love was dead and he'd never love her, and his daughter was Trixie's, but that didn't mean her heart stopped belonging to him. They'd had to restrain her to prevent an incident…and then Tootie had started liking being restrained, it kept her from thinking about the scum she was.

What kind of girl was she, coming onto her sister? She was the worst type of slut there was, the one that begged for anyone to love her. And she'd gotten everything she deserved…

"Then you begged us to take care of you…and we did. We protected you, made sure no one else laid a hand on you, by destroying everyone else.

"Cosmo and Wanda, for example, were too close to Timmy, whom you still loved, so we had to devastate him. Not only was it better for you, it was better for us as well. A miserable Timmy was a miserable Tootie, and a miserable Tootie was one that needed all the 'affection' she could get. So we helped ourselves," Victoria sniggered, remembering Tootie, clinging to her, pleading with her to love her…and how she took advantage of it.

Hmph, her counterpart was a little drama queen. 'Save the drama for your momma'- really. All she was doing was kissing Timmy everywhere in reach and screaming in agony.

However, instead of anger, Tootie found herself pitying her counterpart and trepidation grew. What if she got that desperate, harkening after anyone who would give her a kiss? That meant she and Gary…

Silence reigned as Vicky and Victoria gloated and the transistor struck, ripping Victoria's soul straight out her body. It swiftly flew back to her, converting into the same sword she'd impaled Lorelei with. She recognized it, how sad was that?

And Lorelei reminded her of something, but she couldn't put her finger on what exactly. It had to do with something in this universe and hers…

Apparently, the transistor could read her mind and knew exactly when to strike. Excellent, she could really use a weapon like this. Ironically, she hadn't directly acquired it from Fairy World, but, without it, she'd be dead.

So, in a way, she owed Lorenzo. Heh, a phrase she'd never like to utter again.

For an instant, Victoria's soul flickered then imploded. Her counterpart froze, exhaling another black essence strikingly similar to Victoria's. Any damage she'd done to her was now reversed.

Were she within reach of her and she hefted her, there would have been a veritable difference in weight. The guilt weighing her counterpart was not physical, whereas all the magic Victoria employed to control her servant _was_.

Again, the transistor converted, turning into a blade, which zoomed out of Tootie's hands and chopped off Vicky's head. Well, well, someone was a little blood thirsty and impatient. Besides which, she didn't exactly enjoy being felt up by a girl resembling her sister.

In fact, now, she couldn't help but be grateful Vicky was pregnant in her world. That meant she was impervious to incest.

Her counterpart gawked at her, terrified. Her hands began to shake and, if she could move towards her, she wasn't certain she trusted the look in her eyes. It was almost as if she were angry at her for killing her problem.

But maybe, on some level, she'd loved Vicky. You never knew and believe her, she did not want to. The thought of what her counterpart did with Vicky and Victoria made her want to throw up again.

"There is another universe…" Tootie began meekly, the words tumbling out. She hadn't come here to help, really, and here her mouth went, offering aid. Damn her.

"Where another Timmy is…and he lost his Tootie…" _How do I explain this? She didn't even bother to ask what I'm doing here, no one has. They don't care, they thought I was her to begin with._

"Timmy?" She whispered, her eyes flickering with hope. Cal and Daniela, finally turning into something substantial, winked at her. Well, Cal did, Daniela glared. It seemed she hadn't yet forgiven her.

"He's kind of a dick…" _Aren't they all?_

"But…he doesn't have one of me around?" God, she was so wretched, throwing herself at anyone…but at least this was healthier…she thought.

"No…" _If you want more details, you'll have to ask him, because I'm sick and tired of this world. _

"Really?!" She shrieked, accidentally yanking her Timmy's dead arm along with her in glee as she jumped up. _Ew…_

"Yes, really," Tootie replied, exasperated. "And I'll take you to him if you'll just stop acting so creepy…"

"I love you!" Her counterpart shrieked, the whole situation temporarily escaping her mind. She flung her arms around her and proceeded to hug her so tightly, she couldn't breathe.

_Yeah…you're really creepy now…please let go of me…I can't feel my arms…_

"I'm sure he'll love you too…" Tootie lied through her teeth, unable to push her away. _Am I normally so clinging, ditzy, and annoying? Yeesh._

-----

Returning to the old world was easier than the fairies had anticipated and, thankfully, they kept blissfully silent, neither commenting. Both girls had their past and present ringing in their heads and neither spoke. The ride, therefore, was rather uneventful.

Tootie found the first universe's Timmy on the sidewalk, a magazine open on his lap. The heat rose in her cheeks- it appeared as though Cosmo had made well on that promise, for Timmy had a Playboy. Wanda was nowhere to be seen, presumably fuming.

"At least you have your pants on," Tootie fired, folding her arms across her chest. "You can't be actually reading that magazine."

"I am," He replied, raising his head and smiling brightly at her. "The literature in here is top notch."

"Yeah…and that's why all the boys read that magazine, for the _articles_. That's also why you've got the centerfold open, with a naked woman masturbating. _Sure_."

"She isn't masturbating…she's just, uh…finding new uses for her hands," He lied and her eyes darted towards a disturbing white stain near the right edge of the magazine, where she knew the centerfold's chest to be.

"And I'm sure you just split your milk there too," Tootie countered. "Because you just had to have your 'literature' as a bedtime story."

Behind her, her counterpart laughed, her eyes sparkling with mirth. She stepped out from behind Tootie and beamed at Timmy, who went a brilliant scarlet before promptly sitting on the magazine.

"What are you talking about?! I'm not a pervert!" Timmy blurted, running his hands through his hair nervously. Her counterpart only laughed harder.

Shaking her head, Tootie allowed her counterpart to introduce herself. By the time she was done, Timmy's eyes bulged out, nearly out of their sockets, and he'd gathered her into his arms, pressing her against him. Both of them looked like they were in heaven.

Tootie, feeling like her heart had been contorted, nodded her goodbye to them, already too busy to really notice. They weren't making out, something that actually made her happy to know, but exchanging stories while they alternated kissing each other's necks. She would be willing to bet, if she cared to stay long enough, that they'd sleep together before the sun went down.

Biting back tears, she climbed about the elevator one final time, to return 'home'.


	5. Reflections in a Broken Mirror

Disclaimer: These may not be needed, but I felt like putting them. Besides, who wants to be sued? Fairly Oddparents does not belong to me…and, for all who care, this had a different title than what I'd originally had.

Chapter Five: Reflections in a Broken Mirror

The landscape was barren, devoid of, as usual, of a single person. Tootie yawned, keeping her eyes on the road, made dusty from the lack of rain and passers. She wondered briefly if there were any inhabitants left and, if so, did they really need her help? Couldn't they just save themselves? Honestly…she was like a maid around here.

Cal and Daniela floated alongside her and chatted quietly. From her responses, Tootie gathered that Daniela was quite a free spirit when she'd been alive. Cal was so rigid, she wondered how on earth she could have been attracted to him. Not to mention the fact there was obviously sexual tension between them, as though Cal was just keeping himself caged up. That latter thought caused her to gag, so she shifted mental topics.

Hugging herself for warmth, for a stray wind kicked up, she thought of both Timmy and Gary. If it were possible, things had gotten increasingly worse in the impossible love triangle. She couldn't go anywhere without having one of them track her, questioning her endlessly. It was progressing to the point where she thought she'd rather fling herself out of state than deal with them.

Always questions, questions she couldn't quite answer, no matter how she skirted the issue. Timmy particularly enjoyed grilling her, disbelieving her when she insisted she'd never slept with Gary, wasn't planning to sleep with him, and she loved Timmy. More often than not, she'd ended up slapping him hard for insinuating that she screwed around.

Why was it when she tried her hardest to show him the depth of her feelings, something always went wrong? Whether it was Vicky or Gary, someone popped up at that crucial moment. For the love of God, there were times when they were about to have sex, the tension building, and then Gary had to walk in. Didn't he understand how badly she needed him? Didn't he _care_?

Perhaps it'd be better if she could just get this out of her mind. After all, missions were designed to either kill her or make her stronger, right? She couldn't be thinking of Timmy and how badly she wanted him inside her…not if she wanted to live for very long.

After all, the last time she fixated on her frustrations with Timmy, she'd gone and slept with her counterpart. Although she didn't understand why exactly, Jorgen had a fit and, more importantly, Timmy could sense her actions in her telepathy. She'd made a bad situation even worse. Couldn't he understand the only person she wanted was him?

Not to mention she had this crude idea that he was following her. It was peculiar, but when she'd left Dimmsdale, she'd sensed him lingering. But he couldn't follow her here, could he? That was preposterous.

Or did she want him here so he could see firsthand what she went through? In any case, she had to stop thinking of him before she lost control…if it wasn't already too late.

As if sensing her chain of thought, Cal offered a half smile she did not return. Neither of them did she care for at the moment, nor anything else. As far as she was concerned, everyone could go to hell. They had their false promises, their false concerns; none of them gave a damn about her.

The autumn leaves were kicked up by the wind, played around, and then died at her feet. Everything in this world reminded her of death, in one way or another. The way the streetlamps swung in the breeze, their lights forever dimmed. The way her hair was lifted, toyed with, and then left stagnant on her shoulders, as though the breeze grew weary of games. Decay and death pervaded this world, as palpable as another's touch. Already, she semi dreaded this place.

But wasn't death always an aspect of these worlds? Clearly, hope wasn't involved for they called for the slave mercenary. She was their last chance at redemption.

How she loathed her title and the little thanks she received. What was the point of going away if it only further complicated matters at home? Didn't he care what he was doing to her? All these thoughts and feelings she'd never had before, surfacing and running her life thanks to Jorgen. Words alone could not describe her hatred for him.

At least she needn't worry about her outfit attracting unwanted attention. Despite shoving the world away but secretly longing for Timmy, conveying this was not in her list of priorities.

This time, thanks to the magic of Cal and Daniela, she was fourteen, but her outfit, a long sweeping black skirt with slits in the sides (this was Dan's idea, not Cal's), a deep cut black blouse with flowers detailing her right side, and black stiletto heels, complimented her figure. There'd been quite an argument over it, since Cal was not given to things that displayed any sort of sexuality. Daniela had finally conjured herself an outfit akin to it, proved that Cal wouldn't be attracted to her if she wore it (actually, Tootie caught him eyeing her copiously), and let her wear it. If she weren't in such a bad mood over Timmy, she might have found it amusing.

Out of the corner of her eye, but it might have been an illusion, a shadow trailed close, nearly tripping when it saw her. No, she was imagining things. Why did she keep thinking someone was out there?

For the moment, Daniela floated to her right side whilst Cal snuck indiscriminate glances, taking in her low cut blouse. Tootie withheld a growl, agitated by the fact at least _her _lover could gaze at her without suspecting her of cheating. Honestly, who needed love? It was just a stupid way of pretending someone was imperfectly perfect.

Stomping her heels (and subsequently gathering dust), she snapped at her godfather. Enough was enough.

"Just admit that she's hot and you want her!" Tootie snapped, giving both a dirty look. "You don't have to pretend that you're all proper!"

Gasping could be heard and she spun around, seeing nothing. Great, so her mind was playing tricks on her again. Lovely.

Fortunately, the sight of Lorenzo's mansion saved Cal from replying. On foot, the structure was normally at the furthest reaches of Dimmsdale, but in this version, it was right next to Timmy's house, where the Dinklebergs would normally live. Somehow, she sincerely doubted that was the case here.

An air of evil hung around, and, through the curtains in the fourth floor, something or someone peered out at them. (For all they knew, the person in question could no longer have a soul and therefore could not be considered a 'some_one_' anymore). Tootie shivered, hugging herself for warmth.

>>Tootie?>>

Shaking her head violently, she decided the message was an echo of the past and or this counterpart. It couldn't be hers speaking. Therefore, she had to ignore it.

Although not by much, Timmy's house appeared more inviting. Desperate to escape the gloom, she raced up the steps to the open and utterly empty house. Nothing moved, nothing chirped despite it being morning, and not even the grass stirred.

Once shut within (yet the shadow appeared to slink in as well as Cal wasted no time closing and locking the door behind them), she scrutinized his kitchen. His parents, long dead, slumped over the table and what was left of them stank to the high heavens. Both had deep stabs in the mid-back, but who had killed them was a mystery.

Frowning, she turned to Cal, waving his wand around to search for more evidence. Unfortunately, he discovered he rather disliked what he discovered. All signs pointed to their son as their murderer.

>>Tootie, what's going on here?>>

_Again with that annoying message. Where the hell is it coming from? If I could, I'd shut him up, but all I have is that shadow as a culprit._

Before she could call Cal's name, he spoke, troubled.

"Tootie, it looks like this Timmy counterpart executed his parents in cold blood. According to the magical traces, this was after Cosmo and Wanda's murders…and of his own free will. He…wanted them dead."

Out of the corner of her eye (Daniela spun around, wand given to her after she raised a fuss and Jorgen reluctantly handed it to her), the shadow drew back with another gasp. Magic swirled around that corner of the kitchen, but her disgust and confusion over these deaths cancelled out her desire to investigate. Whatever it was, she was sure she'd find out later.

She started trembling. Even if this Timmy was related to hers by a small margin, what had gone wrong after the What-If Spell? Had Lorenzo made good on his promise but Timmy tired of his parents? She didn't understand, but she had a sinking suspicion she was about to find out.

…

Breathing hard, our Timmy Turner watched a girl fairy he'd never met, Cal, and Tootie ascend the steps. Thanks to a wish from Wanda (although she was in barely any shape to object), he had the cloak of shadows. Until he wished to be seen, no one would know any more than he was a shifting shadow.

Where _was _this place, anyway? After he'd followed Tootie into the elevator (and gazed longingly at her, sleeping and sobbing in her sleep), Cal and this girl, Daniela, talked about alternate worlds. Was there such a thing? What on earth?

Of course, he'd known better than to ask. Given Tootie's secretive nature regarding these stupid missions, he figured he wasn't supposed to just tag along. Wanda had given him a lecture regarding it, too, saying that he could be killed if he wasn't careful. He didn't understand what her problem was (or even how she knew while he remained ignorant), but he'd scoffed and wished, regardless. He was sure he could handle himself.

Why had Tootie returned with such grievous injuries if the missions were all that easy, though? Maybe she wasn't doing it right or something. Well, he was fairly certain that nothing bad would happen to him- worse came to worse, he could go home, couldn't he?

After all, if he wasn't supposed to be here, then they could poof him home. Right? Right.

Without a care in that pink hat of his (nor the hypothesized brain beneath it), he crept up stairs that reminded him of his own, careful to be as silent as a mouse, and peered into a room that resembled his so strongly, he had déjà vu. As long as things didn't get any stranger, he was okay…he hoped.

AU Timmy's room was covered in layers of dust, inducing coughs from Daniela, Cal covering his mouth and Tootie holding back sneezes. This place hadn't been touched in a few years. By entering it, they almost felt as though they were breaking its sacrosanct.

On the computer, oddly turned on, Tootie idly began searching through files and documents until she happened upon one entitled: "Log- Tootie". Ignoring the bizarre sensations rocking her every time she saw her name in reference to someone else, she sat down in the dusty wooden chair and read.

…

Log 10-21-01

12:34 hours

I cannot believe their plan didn't work. They had everything they needed and then some. Our last defense against Lorenzo's plan has failed.

On their own, Cosmo and Wanda aren't powerful enough to pull off the What-If Spell, but Lorenzo drained Timmy's parents' energy, preventing them from helping. When he discovered Cos and Wan with "Mom" and "Dad", he nearly killed Wanda. Cosmo's still shaking.

Timmy's completely Lorenzo's slave now. He does whatever he tells him, whenever he says it. It's as though he lost any will of his own.

I know he's sleeping with Trixie, though. He lied to me…through telepathy, no less! It's all in the disgusting ways he talks to her, the way he gropes her in public- he's lost his virginity not to me, his true love, but to a cheerleading slut that wouldn't let him have his way with her if she were in her right mind.

I cast the spell for him to see multiples of me, but Lorenzo broke him free of it. Without speaking, they communicate and tear down our attacks. We've tried everything and now we're out of options.

Isn't there any way to bring back our Timmy? Isn't there a soul beneath that cold, chilly exterior? Doesn't he love anything anymore?

…

Log 10-31-01

Midnight

As I type this, my fingers tremble and my body shakes. I can't bring myself to relate what happened, but suffice to say, Timmy got his wish. Cosmo and Wanda are dead.

Lorenzo laughed in my head right afterwards, if I had any doubts. Over and over, he taunted me, until I passed out. (Thankfully).

I buried them, but there didn't seem to be any point. Lorenzo removed the bodies as soon as I did. He has other plans for them (like mounting their heads on his mantelpiece).

I…I just hope Timmy's happy…

(The rest was full of random characters thanks to Tootie slamming her head down on the keyboard and sobbing).

…

Log 12-25-01

13:01 hours

What's there to say that hasn't already been said? I'm all alone on Christmas (Lorenzo finally took Vicky away after raping her again) and guns have never looked more tempting in my life. Just pull the trigger and then I'm gone.

Who will miss me? Not Timmy, that's for damn sure. He's so busy with his fucking slut, he can't see straight. And Vicky was my last hope, but Lorenzo keeps her so closely guarded, I couldn't talk to her if I wanted to. I'm out of people and time.

Wanda once told me that if the other person dies in a bond, you can feel them slipping from you in telepathy. I bet she experienced that firsthand when Cosmo died…

Do you think Timmy would feel it if I committed suicide? Do you think he'd care? Would he finally realize what he's done is wrong?

I don't know…and I have no way of knowing…

But if I die, I'll see everyone Lorenzo took from me. I miss you so much, Mom, Dad, Cosmo, Wanda, Cal…

…

Log 1-1-02

18:47 hours

Lorenzo made good on his promise- Timmy's parents were in fact revived. They returned to his house briefly, but, before I could talk to them (and hear hopefully of Cosmo and Wanda on the other side), Timmy murdered them. I overheard Lorenzo tell Timmy that if they died, he could have their power.

He killed his godparents and now his birth parents…he's become a monster…How can I still love him!

I want him so badly…I need him…Oh, Timmy, why won't you answer me when I call to you in telepathy? Why do you shove me away? Timmy! Timmy…

He's coming for me next, I can feel it…

…

Log 5-04-03

17:08 hours

I fear I do not have much time. Within a few moments, he will find the rest of the Alliance and me and destroy us all. We strove desperately, with good intentions, to locate the goodness within, but there was none. We should have been better, could have done much more, but we did not. And so he fell.

Once upon a time, I thought I had loved him. I thought that he too, shared this bond. When we had exorcised Lorenzo, we thought he would renounce his anti fairy self and join the right side. Why should he fall for his lies when he had us? Love should win against cruelty and malevolence every time, shouldn't it?

That summer, we shared more than kisses; we bore our souls to each other. We were supposed to be together, damn it! This was _not _supposed to happen!

But I digress…and I do not have the time to. We were close and then, thanks to that damnable Lorenzo, we can never be. He has constructed a rift between us I cannot bridge and the Timmy I thought I knew is no more. In his eyes are only the minute power struggles and deep emptiness where his soul should be. For I harbor no doubts regarding this- Timmy Turner no longer has a soul.

How can I make such a claim, you wonder? How can I calmly and factually tell the only being that will know my past that the boy I love with all my heart and soul is a cold blooded killer? If only you knew what I know, saw what I saw…my beloved covered in his fairy godparents' blood…

…

_He stood, pink shirt stained with sparkling, mesmerizing fairy blood. Unlike human blood, it carried a faint note of magic about it and was darker. Both pink and green sparkles shone within._

_In his grasp was the blade of destruction, covered in Wanda's blood. Cosmo had pleaded with him, become so very boring in the end, begging him to kill him instead of his wife. Those green eyes had brimmed with tears, shimmering whimpers of mercy from a being that only knew of the word in context to what he used to be. Mercy from his victims, though, was unforgivable by Lorenzo. Therefore, he would not show any to his godfather._

_Yet he screamed, clutched his legs and positively bawled as his wife, paralyzed, eyes wide open, watched helplessly. Never before had he seen him so desperate, driven to protect if not himself, then the woman he loved more than anything. He thought that begging with Timmy would at least save his precious Wanda. Couldn't he see sense? _

_Timmy scoffed at the notion and told him that sense was for the dreaming innocents that had not yet seen the world through experienced eyes. Cosmo had never known pain such as his and was a virgin to the idea that pain could cause one to delve deeply into the black arts to lash out. He and his wife thought they could talk their way out of war. Peace was for the weak._

_This he told him, grabbing him by the throat and strangling him slowly. Flailing limbs sought the freedom of their master, but he did not let up on the pressure. However, he did stop increasing it long enough to place the blade to his throat. Out of the corner of his eye, Wanda watched them, her face waxen._

_"Stop!" She sobbed, as though her tears would have any impact on his decision. Foolish frach, holding onto false ideas. Their deaths were necessary; there was no getting around it. If she persisted in these displays of emotion, it would only quicken the inevitable._

_The restraints binding her, a purple magical barrier Lorenzo had taught him, tightened their hold. A blackish tendril crept about from within the small area between her chest and wound itself about her mouth. Another came from around her back and pulled lightly on her throat. _

_However, focusing on extending the barrier caused him a brief lapse, long enough for Cosmo to cry his wife's name. Apprehension shook him as he howled her name repeatedly. How could their godson _do _this? How could he kill her in front of him? _

_Tears streamed down his face; he frantically kicked, punched, and stabbed his way in the air. He had to get to her, he just had to. To hold her, to kiss her...to protect her, that was his duty, wasn't it? He loved her, he needed her…damn it…_

_Wanda's eyes flickered open at Cosmo's fraught sobs. A pained expression lit her face, only emitting more upset and terrified shrieks. Her face was lined with unshed tears, unspoken words, unlived years. She looked every bit her age…and this scared Cosmo more than he could say. Fairies were not supposed to look their age; they aged slower than humans, much slower._

_>>Wanda! (sob)>> Cosmo had become a quivering mass beneath his palm. Seeing his wife in this situation scared the shit out of him. Timmy was Lorenzo's puppet; Lorenzo despised Wanda, so Timmy would kill her first. It only made sense…_

_Distantly, he received Cosmo's echoes. The fairy was now inconsolable, too busy weeping to fight him anymore. Through wet eyes, he saw the tendril tighten its grip on her until the veins showed in her neck. Over and over, he alternated between heart breaking sobs and screaming her name._

_"Shut the fuck up!" Timmy snapped suddenly, slapping his godfather across the face. His hand left a white imprint on his face._

_The other hand squeezed his throat again, then, he thought better of it. Cosmo would beg for both his life and Wanda's, wouldn't he? Wanda would preach at him. He could not kill him first; another lecture would only expedite her death._

_Releasing him, he kicked him hard into a corner of the treehouse and rounded on Wanda. Her own eyes filled with tears, she barely perceived his shift, most of her attention focused on Cosmo. Foolish fairy, she would have plenty of time to gaze at him in her afterlife. For now, **he **was her only important figure._

_"Look at me, bitch," Timmy spat, snatching her by the chin and bidding the tendril to loosen up slightly and permit her to breathe. Petrified pink pupils now held only him in their gaze. Excellent, then he wouldn't have to worry about possible communication between the two star crossed lovers. Unless…they did that wretched telepathy, which he really should have found a way to prevent. Still, they could not harm him whilst Lorenzo's mind blocks were in place._

_"Timmy…" Wanda whispered, shaking. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Cosmo rising unsteadily to his feet and preparing to charge their godson. Bereft of their wands, he would have to use his diminished size to attack him. Still, perhaps it would detain him long enough for one of them to gain the upper hand and knock him out, if nothing else._

_"You besmirch us both by referring to me as anything short of 'executioner'," He snapped, grabbing a curl and yanking it out by the roots. She winced, but did not cry out. Her cries were reserved for Cosmo…but not for long. He was her assassin, damn it, he demanded attention._

_Movement behind him, but the green fairy, sped on by anxiety over his wife, tackled him before he could anticipate him. Fists pounded at the back of his neck, anything he could reach. Accompanying this were heavy, heartrending tears that drenched him. Timmy spun around, trying to dispel him, but Cosmo held fast._

_"Leave Wanda alone!" Cosmo sobbed, pressing his face into his neck. "Kill me instead…"_

_"Cosmo, **no!" **Wanda screamed, tears streaming down her face. The tremors continued as she completely broke down. The thought of a life without Cosmo, because her godson had taken him away from her, was unbearable._

_Backing up, he slammed him into a wall and, with a sharp declamation of pain, Cosmo released him. A quick examination told him he was bleeding from the back of the head. Damn, he'd meant to slam him harder, though, to cause him to fall unconscious in the very least. _

_Pain did not deter him, though. Crawling on his hands and knees, he clutched Timmy's ankle. The boy glowered down at him as though he were a common rodent._

_Lifting his leg, he crushed his head against the floor with a sickening crack. Although he wasn't certain he was dead, he wasn't going to interfere any more. This left him to his real prey, Wanda. Once Wanda fell, Cosmo would be easy._

_"Cosmo…" She sobbed, head hung low. Still, it didn't seem he was dead, because he caught the faintest glimmer of telepathy buzzing past him. No matter, he wouldn't survive the hour._

_Raising the transistor again and smiling broadly as it assumed the shape of a scythe, he held it to Wanda's throat. Blood spilled; he grinned, enjoying the power that emanated from the shallow indent. God, why hadn't Lorenzo told him how much hidden power fairies possess? Why hadn't he told him how delightful it would be to see her blood pool on the scythe while she whimpered? Had he wanted him to experience it for himself?_

_"I want to hear you beg for your pathetic life, frach. I want you to rant and rave against me as I slit your throat and carry your head home for Lorenzo to mount on his mantelpiece. I want you to know that your life is mine, **bitch**," He snarled, noting unhappily how her eyes were glued to Cosmo, who, despite continuing to live, barely moved. His breaths were growing shorter._

_"No…" She whispered, groping for compassion within him. A light push, as though attempting to unlock floodgates to something that was never there. So this was what would supercede her lecture? Well, she could delve all she wanted; she wasn't going to find anything._

_Fury briefly replaced his cool demeanor and he found himself digging the scythe deeper into her throat. Wanda cried out, but quickly clenched her mouth shut. Tears raced to meet her blood on the surface of the blade._

_"What do you mean, **no**? How **dare **you disobey me!" Again, the scythe dug deeper, but she bit her lip instead of crying out. He could tell it hurt her, sensed it from the distress arising from Cosmo's weak signals, but she would not give him the satisfaction of telling him how much. This would be her final resistance- if he must take her life, then he would not take it while she pleaded with him._

_Shallowly, for her time was growing short indeed, she whispered, "Who is disobeying whom, sweetie? I thought you loved us…thought you would never do this…never in my wildest dreams did I think that you would be seduced by Lorenzo's teachings…it makes no difference to you who you destroy…but I loved you, Timmy…"_

_Tears temporarily flooded his vision and the scythe fell back along with him. Lorenzo's influence waned, and, in the struggle to regain his composure, Cosmo slid along on his belly to her side. Both were sobbing so hard, they could hardly see._

_Feebly, he crawled up until he could wrap his arms around her neck. His eyes were dimming, life was leaving him (Timmy had crushed part of his skull in), but he would not leave without saying goodbye to her. His lips trembled to touch hers, and soundlessly, he kissed her, tears mixing in._

_ >>I loved you, Wanda…I loved you… >> With that, he fell from her grasp and the telepathy died. He lay, dead, on the wooden floorboards, as she, overcome by sobs, glanced over at her godson._

_Turning swiftly, he kicked Cosmo out of the open treehouse and pivoted on his heel to glower at Wanda. Honestly, he hadn't planned on Cosmo dying first, nor had he counted on the idea that Wanda would not let him hear her scream. Not only that, but her eyes shone brightly with an emotion she'd never displayed in her life against him- pure, unadulterated hatred._

_Hollow laughter erupted from his lanky frame. She hated **him**? Well, of course she did- he'd killed her husband. Had she thought he'd change his mind this far in the game? As soon as they were out of the way, things would get so much better._

_"Bastard," She spat, literally spitting in his face. What did it matter how she acted around him now? He was going to kill her, wasn't he? He was beyond sanity._

_Beneath them, the distant footsteps of Tootie issued and Timmy grinned despite himself. They were having company? Excellent. He would dispel of her just as easily as Cosmo and Wanda and then Lorenzo would be unopposed._

_Cocking his head, he heard Tootie express his disbelief regarding Cosmo's fate. Beside him, Wanda did the same, tears sprinkling her words. For so long, longer than many, many humans lived, they'd been together…_

_Wanda sought telepathy to warn her, but it no longer worked. Cosmo was her only love, her only true lover, and he held the secret to their bond. Without him, she was a shell of a fairy._

_"If you will not give me the pleasure of hearing you scream, then I will just have to hear it from Tootie," He snapped, wiping her spittle off his cheek. _

_Footsteps sounded on the trunk and, while she slowly made her way up, Cosmo's corpse clutched to her chest (his death hadn't registered yet), Timmy slit Wanda's throat, sending the scythe as deeply as it would go. Beautiful, leaden blood spilled from her; her pink eyes faded and then the light within died. She was dead…and the third murder of the day was about to take place._

_Tootie finally rose above the steps and, pulling herself up weakly, caught sight of Wanda's lifeless body, still pinned beneath the shield. Timmy released her body and then turned to his former love. Former, because he could never love anything again as long as he lived._

_"You shouldn't have come back," Timmy snapped. "It would have spared your life."_

_"For how long?" Tootie retorted, trembling badly. Her purple eyes sought his blue ones, searching for a trace of humanity. There was none to be found._

_"Until Lorenzo and I grew bored of you and he let me rape you before I killed you," He replied, smirking at the way all the color drained from her face. Her legs buckled, but she managed to keep herself upright._

_Mimicking Vicky, he replied coolly," 'Rape isn't that far beyond murder, Tootie'. Besides, at least then you would have what you so desperately wanted, a night alone with me. You can scream my name all you want." _

_"You're sick," Tootie spat, the color of oatmeal. She couldn't believe this was happening, couldn't believe he'd gone this far. Why couldn't she stop him? What was wrong with her?_

_"Who knows? Maybe you'll enjoy it like your sister." _

_Seething with fury over that insult, his nonchalance at murder, and his recent dehumanizing, she launched herself at him. Cosmo's body slid from her grip to lie beside Wanda, in a sort of a deadly serious irony. Neither noticed it._

_Blows were traded, until, yawning, he pressed the transistor against her throat. Perhaps realizing she did not stand a chance at the moment, she retreated, but he wasn't through with her. If he wasn't going to kill her, then he was going to let her off with a warning that she wouldn't dare forget._

_Rising to his feet, he cut off her exit and pressed his body against hers. He smelled the fear in her and he relished it. Distantly, he caught her telepathic pleas and he scoffed. Did everyone feel as though they could change him? Honestly, what losers._

_Snatching her lips in a kiss that was more a brutal attack than a gesture of affection, he grabbed her hips and thrusted his own excruciatingly into hers. What was a mockery of making love he repeated, pinning her arms to the wall. Without saying a word, he indicated this would be her punishment when they met again, only, without clothes._

_"If you come near me again, bitch," Timmy snapped, tearing his lips from hers and, after one more thrust, ceasing. The ache in his own hips he could ignore, he hoped._

_"I'll rape you and then kill you."_

_Smirking broadly, he shoved her into Cosmo and Wanda's bodies and left. This was the last time they saw each other for a very long time._

…

"You're pathetic, clinging to the past and hoping it'll help you. I told you that when I found you what would happen. Bow to me, your executioner," Timmy spat, turning up behind her. His blue eyes softened momentarily; he caressed her shoulder and kissed her neck.

Spinning around, she noted that the tape recorder function on the computer continued and she prayed someone would find her body. Perhaps that mysterious girl she'd heard about from Cosmo and Wanda before they attempted an unsuccessful What-If spell could come to her aid. Even if she came too late to save her, she could stop the boy walking around in her beloved's skin. She put all her hope in her.

"The only way you'll get me to bow is if you force my body after rigor mortis. Fuck you, Timmy Turner. Fuck you and I hope you burn in hell."

"Wrong choice of words, bitch, wrong choice of words."

Pulling out the transistor, it pinned her to the wall and, in the moments before Timmy made good on his threat, she felt Cosmo and Wanda. They were calling to her…

…

"The rest is just him hurting her badly and her muffled screams," Cal said softly, eyeing our Tootie warily. Listening to her counterpart being raped had to be hard on the poor kid.

In the back of her mind, if only through her weariness, she perceived muffled exclamations of surprise. Timmy came to her mind again, but not the alternate one. No, he couldn't be here. There was no way, right? God, she hoped so. What would happen if he had snuck along? Would she be able to protect him and fix this world? What if she couldn't save him? What if, God forbid, he died on her?

The color drained from her face, but not because of AU Timmy. At least in her world, these alternates couldn't harm him. However, if he were here, then he might be in the line of fire.

"And if you thought Gary was bad…" Daniela muttered, earning a nasty look from Tootie. Fortunately, because she was stunned after listening to all that, she didn't threaten her. Instead, she gazed at the wall, at a loss for words.

"There's more, I believe…but not on this file. Other victims of Timmy and Lorenzo recorded their last few moments as well. It seems they were going to piece a memorial for those lost, but since nearly everyone involved died, it fell through," Cal continued, ignoring his lover. For the most part, she made commentary and offered nothing valuable to the conversation.

"Imagine that," Daniela muttered dryly, folding her arms across her chest. Calentè knew far more than she did regarding anything in Tootie's missions. As far as they were concerned, she was an extra weight, potentially dragging her down. Personally, she felt they ought to back off the poor kid, who didn't need any more problems, but they didn't listen to dead fairies very often.

Sitting back, she sighed heavily, hugging herself for goosebumps had arisen. Cal searched the computer, pulling up a few more files. Tootie swallowed hard, wondering how bad the rest of them could be.

She prepared herself to read…

…

_My alternate did all this? He…killed my parents, killed and raped Tootie's counterpart, and killed everyone else? He's a monster…_

_But what if I'd done the same thing? Without the What-If spell, would I have been just like him? Would I have killed Tootie because I was under Lorenzo's control?_

_Hearing about this makes me wonder how close I really was to the thin line between right and wrong. If Cosmo and Wanda hadn't been looking out for me, then I could have killed them…them and everyone else…_

>>Tootie…>>

…

"She has arrived, master," Timmy informed The Other, eyes shut and focused on a spell. He needn't have said anything- Lorenzo already knew. By his apprentice raping AU Tootie and stealing her energy, he could lock onto energy similar to hers, that of her counterpart.

Concentrating told him her actions at the moment and he could gauge her power. An item dangling from the waistband of her skirt, the replication of his transistor, was the source of her power. Well, if she had one as did he, then vanquishing her would be no problem, given the fact that he was much better trained with his weapon than she was.

Beckoning to his lover, he indicated Timmy perch on his lap. He wrapped his arms around him, kissing his neck. If only there were more time until she tore into the mansion- he yearned to have him in their usual activities. Perhaps after her death, they would have all the time in the world. After all, if she were the last defense against him, she couldn't be all that strong, could she?

Idly he stroked his face. Bereft of twenty four hour vigilance, he might slip up and realize the five creatures he'd murdered, one of them his lover, were dead because of him. That the being that promised him everything had delivered nothing and only used him for sex.

Behind them were the decapitated heads of Cosmo and Wanda, both frozen in the expressions of death. Every once in a while, he gave them the one finger salute before passing on. He'd won the war; there were no others to oppose him, other than this counterpart. But she would be gone before she had the chance to feel his full wrath.

…

On the last line, Tootie's face paled as she read and reread A.J.'s final moments before reverting to the recorded rendition. A hand on her shoulder caused her to turn and her heart to halt in mid-beat. Here was the boy that had caused almost as much grief as his anti fairy, the boy who had murdered all of these creatures.

"Rise, bitch," AU Timmy spat and, rising unsteadily to her feet, holding out her transistor, converting to a gun, she pointed it at his chest. Despite her hand trembling, she knew if she had to, she _would _shoot him. He didn't deserve a proper, civil death.

Our Timmy glanced at the transistor on Tootie's belt. Maybe he could steal it, defend her against his counterpart, and then portray the hero he was born to be. Besides, then it'd show her for leaving him alone in their world while she ran around here on very easy missions and wasted their time. It couldn't take as long as she went missing.

Instead of registering shock, or, at the very least, disbelief, he smirked. Reaching past the pistol, he caressed her face. Damn it- she wished that he wasn't her weakness! How could she let someone that looked exactly like the boy she loved make her knees go weak _when it wasn't him but a cold hearted murderer_?

Our Timmy growled inaudibly, fists clenched. So she _had _slept with another boy, he was right. Not only was it another boy, but he was willing to bet it was one of his counterparts.

But wait, didn't that mean that maybe the reason she'd slept with him wasn't because she was a slut but because she wanted _him_? That his actions had caused her to be so desperate, she'd sought his alternate's arms because she couldn't have her own? Abruptly, everything he'd said and did to her over the past few months came back to haunt him. (This was quite a lot…)

Still, that didn't excuse her long absences, did it? Maybe after she reached for that other Timmy, she stayed around to watch the festivities. He wasn't sure if he sympathized with her, felt horrible for treating her like shit, or still despised her. There were too many things to consider, damn it.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a purple magic force field seize her two fairies and they vanished. Tootie's eyes were focused elsewhere, but she'd see this soon enough. Besides, it probably wouldn't help her if he told her, right? She could handle this on her own.

Cal and Daniela were nowhere to be seen and an ominous sensation that perhaps Lorenzo had them shook her. All she had was her transistor and that damning attraction to Timmy. Alone, neither were enough.

Pulling him towards her, he shoved the gun aside and nearly kissed her when her Timmy broke into her thoughts and returned control. Apparently, because the worlds were similar, she could receive his messages. Well, whatever it was, if he were talking to her and being civil about it, she didn't care.

>>Tootie!>> In the back of his message, although he hadn't meant to send it, she caught another thought.

>>Be careful!>>

_Huh? Why's he telling me to be careful? Careful of what? And how does he know I have to be careful…unless…_

"What the hell is this?" AU Timmy roared, sensing the telepathy but being unable to trace it because of its foreign origin. It seemed familiar to the power he had held with Tootie, but that was only for the weak. True power resided in oneself, no one else.

Appealing to Lorenzo, AU Timmy swept the transistor off her belt via magic and it flew towards our Timmy, catching it deftly. AU Timmy preferred to face his opponents unarmed- he still had the advantage, after all. And since she'd deigned to come here, of all the worlds, he wanted to show her just what he'd done to her counterpart. He relished the sounds of her screams as he claimed her virginity and murdered her.

In a series of moves Tootie could scarcely follow, he managed to corner her. One hand stroked her face, the other shoved her repeatedly into the wall. Tootie struggled, trying to headbutt him, but the wall seemed to become alive, molding her into it so she couldn't escape.

"I'm sure you wanted to learn just how your counterpart suffered before she died. It's your lucky day," AU Timmy sneered, grabbing her blouse and yanking. Behind them, a roar erupted. What on earth was going on here?

Tootie shut her eyes tightly, sending messages to whomever she might catch. Wanda, Cal, Daniela, even Timmy on the off-chance her suspicions were correct. Surely someone wouldn't let her endure this torture.

The shadow in the corner of the room shifted, tackling AU Timmy to the ground. Taken by surprise, the alternate didn't know quite how to handle this. He couldn't attack what he couldn't see.

Kicking out at random, he caught the edge of our Timmy's clock, exposing him. Tootie gasped, recognizing him instantly. That explained the peculiar messages, the sensation that he was closer than she'd thought, and the creepy shadow. Why the hell did he have to be so stupid as to go _looking _for trouble?

"Tootie!" Our Timmy cried, reaching out for her but only succeeding in looking under her skirt. Although he wasn't going to complain, the ruckus from her telepathy prevented him from perceiving his alternate's next attack.

After being swept into the wall and nearly had his face pounded in, our Timmy rose to his feet and they proceeded to duke it out in one of the most confusing fights she'd ever seen. She hadn't the foggiest idea half the time which one was hers and who to root for, because both of them were Timmy…and both of them had similar moves because they'd been taught by The Other, just different worlds.

Our Timmy launched himself at his alternate and proceeded to attack him with a flurry of punches and kicks. His counterpart snatched his leg, spun him around, and slammed him into the wall. After all, he'd had better lessons from Lorenzo and more of them- killing his parents was harder than killing his godparents, who had time to learn from Cosmo and Wanda's mistakes.

Leering at him, his alternate attempted to twist his arm behind his back and break it, but OT (our Timmy) kicked out at whatever he could reach, struck his chest, and freed himself. Once free, he performed a sweeping kick that his alternate hopped over, but, predicting this, he punched him hard in the chest, sending him backwards.

Tootie watched this, eyes moving back and forth, unable to tell who was whom nor who to root for. As she focused, the wall began to squeeze her throat, slowly choking her. Spots appeared in her gaze, but, because Timmy was unconsciously projecting his pain on her, she didn't notice.

Every time he swung, his counterpart had a defense. It was like fighting, well, himself. The only thought that ran through his mind, other than the fact that this was harder than it had looked, if he was being attacked now, what would have happened to Tootie if he wasn't here? Was this what nearly happened to her every time? Did she have to defend her life whenever she did one of these missions? Why on earth would she want to risk her neck for something so dangerous?

Out of the corner of his eye, Tootie's transistor vanished, reappearing as a scythe pressing itself to her throat. His counterpart had control over both transistors…but Timmy, distracted, didn't notice. After all, even as they sparred, he could barely keep up.

The other transistor vanished into thin air and, finally, his counterpart relented, perplexed. Apparently, he hadn't counted on this part of his plan failing- he stared, wondering where the hell it went. However, behind him, materializing in Timmy's hands was a shimmering gray item. It wouldn't focus, just like he couldn't think clearly.

Scowling, AU Timmy spun around to snap when the scythe began to dig into Tootie's throat. He began to laugh cruelly, enjoying the fact that soon enough, his counterpart would be out of it and he could rape and kill the last chance this world had. Then his master would finally be happy and he would stop punishing him for whatever wrong he'd done.

For in his eyes, he could still do no right, for he still raped him and tortured him. In fact, since Cosmo, Wanda's, his parents' and Tootie's deaths, it'd gotten worse. He didn't know what to do, but he was the only one he had left. Without Lorenzo, he had to face the facts that he'd killed everyone he cared about.

Shifting towards her, AU Timmy caressed Tootie's face and, barely conscious from the lack of oxygen and the scythe lightly digging into her throat, she gazed at him with dull eyes. Somehow, as of late, she'd always thought she'd die here, but in front of her Timmy was something only in her nightmares. Maybe he'd join him and, in her final moments, he'd rape her too…

>>Timmy…>> She sent desperately, sliding in and out of consciousness.

At long last, the transistor settled on a shape, a large baseball bat. Timmy hardly needed any further instructions- he slammed it down hard on the back of his counterpart's neck (as he started to trail his hand down her throat and towards her collarbone). There was a sickening crack, but he didn't wait to see whether he was dead or just out of it. Tootie was far more important.

"Tootie!" Timmy cried, pulling at the bonds on the wall to no avail. In his hands, the transistor became a wand and undid the spell. The damage was done, though; she wasn't going to return to consciousness any time soon. He was all alone to do her job.

_What the hell am I supposed to do?_

…

"They've escaped!" Lorenzo roared, rising to his feet and pounding his fist into his open palm. Fires erupted all over the room, but, pacing angrily, he failed to notice. Those fairies were right under his grasp and then, when he felt his Timmy stop for whatever stupid reason, they vanished. Goddamn it!

Releasing a string of curses that would make a rapper blush, he proceeded to examine the rest of his mansion, came up with nothing, and then searched anew. There were many places to look, after all, and when his Timmy returned, after he beat him up for letting them escape, they'd look together. It'd been a while since he'd killed another fairy and he missed the way they screamed as well as the energy he stole.

Killing had become second nature to him, almost as simple as stealing a breath from his beloved. Hearing their last desperate cries for help, knowing none was coming, then the pain in their eyes right at the moment they died- there was nothing like it. As a matter of fact, he was jealous of Timmy for killing Wanda. He wanted to be there when she realized there was no escape, that her beloved godson had murdered her husband and she would be joining him in a matter of moments. Maybe he would have dangled Cosmo's life over her for just a little while, to see her reaction as he slit his throat. As a matter of fact, he had no idea how Timmy had killed them, since he'd never told him, but details, details; they didn't matter to him currently.

Except, of course, for the one detail that his Timmy had overlooked- knocking Tootie and his rotten counterpart out of the running. He could tell right now that he wasn't conscious, that his calm, cool breathing was from a blow to the back of the neck. Had his counterpart hit in a different direction or at a different angle, they both might be dead right now.

Pounding a fist into his palm, he cast one last contemptuous look around before, fury boiling; he darted into Vicky's room. The girl was a shadow of a person, barely able to perceive much beyond his brutal attacks every now and again. It never hurt to be out of practice, after all.

Upon seeing him, she darted into a corner and hugged her knees, her pink eyes wide and doleful. If only he had time to take her and give her another reason for the abject misery in which she lived, but, alas, there was simply no time. He had to locate those meddlesome fairies and soon, before they alerted Timmy's counterpart of his plans and let him carry out her mission. No way in hell was he going to let some snot nosed counterpart undo what had taken him years to accomplish. He'd sooner rot.

His long, powerful strides carried him into the room and soon boxed Vicky in. Pitiful cries she emitted, her eyes threatening to shed tears, but her act was lost on him (were it an act, he didn't truly care). He was here for one thing and one thing only- once he got it, Vicky be damned, because she wasn't going to stand in his way.

"_Where the fuck are my fairies, bitch_?" Lorenzo growled, seizing her by the hair and slamming her, terrified, into the wall. By now, she was too frightened and tired to fight him. It was written all over her face.

"I…I don't know…" She confessed, glancing away. She hated the way his cold blue eyes held hers; they seemed to spit at her. They were nothing like Timmy's, but she wouldn't know

"You're a fucking liar!" He snapped, slapping her across the face with a distinct crack. Too petrified to scream, she whimpered again, her eyes dropping to the black carpeted floor. Black covered so many things, including the blood stains from when he'd raped her repeatedly and dug his knife into her stomach. How she hated this place and him- she wanted nothing more than to die. Why wouldn't he give her that pleasure? He'd done it so many damn times before…to creatures that deserved it far less…

"I…I'm telling you the truth, damn it…" What would have been perhaps an attempt at defending herself instead came out as a petulant mockery. She had neither the strength nor, anymore, the capacity to rebel against him. He owned her, body, soul, and mind.

"Don't _ever _curse at me, bitch," He snarled, slamming her head against the wall again and pulling viciously at her hair. Limpid red hair came out in chunks, the result of her apathy regarding it and her general desire for death, swift and perhaps painless, but she doubted it sincerely.

Over and over, he smashed her head against the wall, until she slumped down, unconscious. Blood trickled out of her scalp as well as smearing the walls, but now he had worse problems. If she didn't know where they were and she was the only living being left in the mansion, then where did that leave him?

…

"Good mess you've got yourself into," Daniela said rudely (as she rarely resorted to tact anyway, when she could help it). Along with Cal, they appeared before Timmy, gazing down at his handiwork and helplessly and fruitlessly attempting to awaken Tootie. The girl would not return to consciousness.

Cal gazed down at his goddaughter. He could heal her, but it would take time that they did not have the luxury of expending. There was only one thing to do, and, because of his idiocy, he was the only one who could do it. Well, not that it was because of him being a moron, but because he'd been stupid enough to tag along.

"She won't wake up!" He protested, running his fingers along her hairline lovingly. If they were in any different circumstance, Dan would make a crack about how he couldn't get in their world, so he was trying now? However, even she knew when to keep her mouth shut about things like that.

"And there's no time to sit around and wait for my magic, slow as it may be, to heal her," Cal answered stoically, avoiding looking at Daniela because of her outfit. Every time he did, his heartbeat raced and his pants tightened unpleasantly. A whisper in his head, perhaps her voice, told him he liked that skirt very much and he would love to see it off her…on the floor with the rest of her clothing…

Smirking slightly, because she could tell where his thoughts were headed, Dan gently shoved Cal away for the moment and turned to the imbecile that Tootie dared to call her soul mate. Honestly, a flying pig had more sense than he.

"You have to follow out her mission because you were stupid enough to walk in on it in the first place," She completed, wishing they had real forms in Tootie's world so they could follow out what she deemed her own mission, turning Cal on. He wasn't exactly an easy person to unwind. Most of the time, he was so uptight, she could barely get him to touch her, much less anything else.

"Yeah, but if I hadn't come here, then _he_," Timmy pointed to his counterpart, drooling slightly on the hardwood floor of an identical bedroom, "would have raped and killed Tootie."

_And I would have felt her pain…I would have gone insane knowing she was in trouble and I couldn't do anything about it…_

_God, I love her…did I ever even tell her how much?_

"Be that as it may (as unpleasant as the thought is), you are now trapped in this world along with her. If you do not fix the mess she was assigned to, then neither of you are leaving," Cal informed him, dumbstruck.

"What do you mean I'm not leaving! Who the hell is going to stop me!" He roared, unconsciously caressing Tootie's face with his open right palm. To touch her was to touch the softest silk imaginable…she was heavenly on his hands…

"Jorgen set a rule that if The Other in any world isn't stopped in twelve hours (he upped it because Tootie apparently had enough time to sleep with _your _counterpart), then you won't return to your world. It's an insurance policy- do your job or suffer the consequences," Cal answered, managing to remain cool in the face of Timmy's resentment of his new situation. Cruel though it might be, he felt he deserved at least this much. Let him realize how difficult Tootie's tasks really were. Let him finally see the hell he'd placed his beloved in.

"And as amusing as it would be for you to finally spend some alone time with Tootie after kicking her out of your life and accusing her of basically prostitution, you can't. So I'd recommend you get moving on this before you're stuck," Dan snapped, sick of everyone's bad attitudes and slightly upset with Timmy taking something up with Cal. She hadn't seen him for hundreds of years; she hadn't realized how much she cared about him until they'd seen each other again.

Nodding curtly, Cal slid an arm around her waist and blushed scarlet. If Tootie were conscious for this, she'd snap something about it being about time. Anyone could see how plainly he wanted, he was just trying to be a gentleman.

"You're going to help me, _right_?" He charged, more overwhelmed now than angry. Missions were all well and fine for Tootie, not for him. He wished he'd never gone here.

"Depends," Dan responded, before Cal could open his mouth.

"Are you going to keep treating Tootie like shit?"

Dan! Cal warned, but his message was laden with desire. She refrained from giggling.

"What do you mean?" Timmy snapped, eyes narrowed. They both knew he knew damned well what she was talking about. She was sick of him pretending to be kind and sweet to someone he claimed to love.

"I mean are you going to go back to asking her if she's sleeping around with Gary and making her wish she could wrench her heart from her body!" Dan retorted, folding her arms across her sizeable chest and glowering at him. The pink hatted boy returned her glower.

Silence hung over them for a moment; Timmy kissed Tootie's cheek and blushed at the sensations rocking him. If she weren't unconscious, there were so many things he wanted to do with her. For once, the thought of making love to her, completely throwing away all caution, entered his mind and simply would not leave.

"No…" He answered finally, kissing her cheek again. At the moment, it was the only chase thing he could do.

Daniela offered him a half smile, one he did not return, and then motioned towards Cal. He was the only one with powers (although Timmy had both transistors), so they would follow.

…

They didn't have far to go. Standing outside his mansion, looking every bit as furious as Timmy remembered his Lorenzo, leaves idly caught fire while he seethed. There was nothing like an irate Lorenzo to scare the hell out of someone, but at least he semi knew his enemy, one could even say intimately…

Cal and Dan, unnoticed by him, vanished to heal Tootie, or, rather, do what they could for her. Besides, dealing with Lorenzo, this one, at any rate, seemed too unpleasant for their peace of mind.

"I heard of you," Lorenzo drawled suddenly, Timmy still approaching. Without another word, he crossed to his side and caressed his cheek. Memories of his Lorenzo doing this, doing far more than this, cascaded across his mind and he nearly choked on them.

"I heard you didn't kill your godparents and, apparently, you're a big, happy, fucking family," He spat in his face and would have kicked him down, but he avoided the strike, the transistors within his hands.

"I heard you trained my counterpart to rape and kill my Tootie's counterpart," Timmy countered while they began to circle each other. It was a death circle- only one of them would make it out of there alive. For the love of God, Timmy prayed it was him.

Before either could attack, the transistors, seizing upon Timmy's thoughts, manifested visions of Tootie's counterpart being raped and murdered. Bile rose, nearly suffocating him, and he badly wished for Tootie in his arms. No one like _him _should be allowed anywhere near perfection like her.

Lorenzo laughed, cold, mocking, derisive laughter. Hair on Timmy's arms rose, but he swallowed hard, ignoring it. As long as the transistors didn't pick up on any other stupid thoughts, he thought he'd be okay.

Unfortunately, seeing her counterpart's attack reminded him of his own and before he could control it (or shut it down), the transistors, still projectors, showed Lorenzo his memories of being raped and abused. The color drained from his face and he staggered, feeling faint. Cal and Daniela were, of course, nowhere to be seen (distantly, he remembered their leaving him as soon as Lorenzo showed up).

"What's this?" He barked laughter, laughter that burned away the last lingering sense of fear. He was too familiar to his…he'd never had the chance to thoroughly beat his Lorenzo for doing that to him. He wanted to make him scream, damn it.

In a series of punches that he had to dodge (but a few nasty uppercuts made their way in) and full frontal attacks, he soon had him on the defense. But it wasn't enough- the transistors turned into whips, scouring their prey and releasing screeches and howls of indignation. His counterpart and Lorenzo's magic was tied- as long as his counterpart was unconscious, he couldn't use magic to defend himself.

In a matter of moments, he had finally started to do what he'd always wanted to- let him have it. Everything he'd always dreamed of, no one to hold him back, nothing. The demon within him was finally free to unload…and he held Lorenzo's life in the balance. He could kill him without suffering any ill effects himself because this was his _mission_ now.

However, Lorenzo was only baiting him. Once he'd thought he'd gotten the advantage, he swept it out from under him and slammed him hard against the ground. He then dug his heel into his throat, knowing that if he killed him, it wouldn't affect anything at all.

Beating him while he was down, he slammed him against whatever he could find, pummeled him senseless, and did the many things he remembered and hated so well. While Lorenzo acted, he couldn't think clearly, couldn't attack. The transistors hung back, as confused as he.

"I could kill you right now, but I'll wait until your Tootie sees it. In fact, I'll have your counterpart rape her while you watch-" He never completed his threat for the transistors, acting upon the pure, raw fury rising from their temporary master, suffocated him. He'd won…but it didn't feel as satisfying as he'd thought.

Maybe it was because this wasn't the same guy that raped him or because he hadn't come to terms with his anger in the right way, but it didn't feel right. The only thing he wanted right now was his Tootie, but what if she couldn't be healed? What if she was stuck under a spell?

"Oh, stop bitching, hero," Daniela snapped, poofing in. Waving Cal's stolen wand, she returned them to the elevator just as the doors were about to close. All four appeared, but Cal and Dan vanished with the reassurance they would be back as soon as Timmy was done talking to her.

…

"So? Going to tell me how easy it was and how you hate me still? That I'm a slut and-" Tootie began, leaning against a wall, but she halted, thoroughly confused by his wrapping his arms tightly around her waist and kissing her neck.

"I love you…" He breathed, kissing her neck again and pressing her against him. >>And I know I've been a dick…how much you hate me…I understand now what you go through…don't hate me…don't give up on us…>>

Struggling between the desire to shove him away and the compelling desire to tear off his clothes and go down on him right now, she managed a weak "huh?" as he caressed her face, stroked her hair, and gently ground himself against her. Everything she'd ever dreamed of, this was too good to be true.

Releasing her reluctantly, he stood apart and took her in. "You hate me, don't you?"

>>I…I love you…how can I hate you?>> She breathed, wishing she could betray her feelings, but they spoke volumes. Besides, she was so sick of these pretenses. What was the point of pretending to hate him when all she wanted was to live in his arms?

Smiling softly, he clutched her to him and trailed kisses down her neck to her collarbone. The breath caught in her throat; she slid her hands through his hair and smiled at the adrenaline rushing through her body. Nothing, save a radio alarm from the real world, could ruin this moment.

He placed her gently down on the floor and together they made their own elevator music.

…

**I wanted to address the reviews here, but I think it detracts from the story to do so. Therefore, I'd like to address any outstanding thoughts I had regarding said reviews instead (and, of course, most of these came from Once Upon and Reflections).**

**To Year of the Cat, in their review for the last chapter of Reflections, I'd like to say that these are different versions of Trixie. Therefore, one cannot expect her to act the same in every universe because there are variations in the way she was raised, things that happened to her, etcetera. **

…**That's really it…**

**Until we meet again.**


	6. Insanity

**Disclaimer**:Not mine, unfortunately.

**Chapter Six**: Insanity

Shrugging, Tootie pretended as though this being her last mission didn't make her overjoyed. All signs around Dimmsdale pointed to a dictator, plain and simple. It reminded her too much of Loreto, but perhaps this world would not be as bad. Maybe it wasn't beyond saving, as Loreto's had nearly been…

However, the game was that universes were never beyond salvation. True, she might have bungled one, but Jorgen had probably cleaned it up. If it were beyond her help, then she wouldn't be employed. It made no sense otherwise. Why use her pointlessly?

This was all she was, a pawn. Thank gods this was her last one, because she was sick of it. She was sick of marauding around as Fairy World's good girl. Jorgen probably took all the credit for her missions, too. With every breath, she loathed him more.

The air was acrid and slightly painful to inhale. Like many other worlds, the scent of death lingered, but Tootie was conditioned, so she didn't notice. Without a word, wishing for a cleaner air supply, she marched on. The sooner she finished, the sooner it would all be over. Then she could be back with her precious Timmy.

And thankfully, she wouldn't need Timmy's help on this one. Not that she didn't appreciate it, but she preferred to do it alone. Still, still it had brought them closer together, even let them finally make love. All the barriers between them had vanished that day…

That didn't solve his problem with Wanda, though. At least he looked her in the face most of the time. Sometimes, she thought she caught him gazing at her as though he'd like to hold her. Tootie knew, no matter how much he pretended, that he deeply cared for Wanda. Lorenzo's advances had not gone unnoticed and Wanda's reactions distressed them all.

It wasn't that she encouraged him, but that she never stopped him. Lorenzo could get away with almost anything (other than fondling her) and she said nothing. His kisses affected her about as deeply as an amoeba did a human. The hollow look she wore constantly unnerved all, especially Timmy. Loath though he might be to admit it, he was the most concerned. When she retreated into her world, he was often heard to mutter worriedly that she resembled Cosmo and he might never get the real her back.

Before her loomed an impressive mansion, situated exactly where Lorenzo DeMedici's residence was located, empty, in her world. Fairy guards floated in front, but that fazed her not. Loreto had possessed guards as well. There were ways to get around them, to be certain.

No, what fazed her was Cal and Daniela's murmurings behind her back. While she pretended to scrutinize the guards, donning black from head to toe with shaved heads and tattered wings, she listened. Not every word she perceived, but she pieced together the gist. Unlike the other worlds she'd encountered, where there was an imbalance of magic because of The Other, there _was _no anti fairy here. However, shaking her head, she wondered who on earth could have ruled this world with an iron fist. Who would be ruthless enough to try?

When they halted within a hundred feet of the guards, one spoke coldly, mechanically. "Who dares enter the palace of Wanda the powerful?"

Lead settled in her stomach and, swallowing hard, she glanced at her two fairies. Neither of them could offer a single word. Both stared, stunned. Despite receiving information about an anomaly, the fact an actual fairy had carried it out stunned them. Tootie, too, could not believe her ears for a different reason. She had to fight not an anti fairy…but Wanda…

* * *

Folding her arms across her chest, Wanda coldly and cruelly overlooked her empire. In the breeze, her cloak billowed and waved. Like the rest of her attire and her heart, it was black. Perhaps in another world, she might have smiled, laughed, and loved, but here, only the facsimiles. The smiles were malevolent, laughter vindictive, and where one normally loved, she hated. Through blood, sweat, and tears of her opponents, she'd torn down humans' opposition and now ruled. It should have instilled the grim satisfaction she sought for millennia, but she was bored and terribly alone. She'd crushed backbones and destroyed happiness, but she couldn't resurrect hers. Cosmo was dead and nothing could restore him. 

So long ago it felt like a memory from another life, she'd him in her grasp. But back then, she hadn't thought of it that way. She'd loved him…once upon a time. In fact, musing, she'd been about to marry and quite possibly spend the rest of her life with him when it'd happened. The event preventing it transformed the pink fairy from a loving, sweet creature doting on her beloved to one questing only annihilation and obedience, caused by the creature responsible. Of course, like the others standing in her way, he found himself mysteriously vanishing. While somewhat satisfying, it couldn't return anything to the way she wanted it. All she wanted, all she'd ever wanted, was Cosmo in her arms.

Big Daddy's brass knuckles now adorned hers, relaxed currently. After she'd killed him, she'd stripped him of everything valuable, and then ordered her goons to desiccate the body. In the broiling afternoon sun, she'd coolly watched her father's body burn after being doused liberally with gasoline. The only thing she'd regretted was killing him beforehand. Hearing his screams might make her feel better. Still, he'd screamed enough when he realized his own daughter had turned on him, much like she had Blonda years later.

Oh, but Blonda still lived, albeit miserably. When she'd discovered her role in the whole affair, it'd taken time, but she'd revenge. For certain unforgivable crimes, she'd told her before slashing her only love's throat. Blonda had cried endlessly, much like Wanda after Cosmo's murder, and threatened to commit suicide. Wanda had laughed in her face and threw her sentiments back. The trite words, failing to give the original recipient comfort, only served to further entrench her in misery.

Smirking slightly, hollow inside, Wanda turned her back on Dimmsdale and, since she'd opted to use magic only when necessary so as to build up her store, she strode into her palace. Thunder crackled in her absence- excellent, a storm. Perhaps she'd tie someone to a lightning rode and have after dinner entertainment. It'd been a while since her last "example" and the humans were growing far too restless. Best to squash any rising objection before it gained too much power.

* * *

A muscle twitched in Timmy Turner's face as he watched, helpless, while his parents screamed in agony. Other than this, no emotions displayed on his face. Any other creature might have thought him immune to the psychological torture. Any other creature might have figured because Wanda had been his fairy godmother, he'd seen everything. And any other creature would have been dead wrong, because inside, he couldn't stop screaming. It took every ounce of self control not to scream now, his parents dying before his eyes. 

They thought this would break him for certain. They thought they knew what tortured him at night and his deepest darkest secrets. They, the fairies serving under Wanda, believed Timmy Turner was just a worthless human. Therefore, after breaking his spirit, they thought he'd cry. They were wrong again- Timmy hadn't cried in years and he wasn't about to now. As far as he was concerned, his parents were already dead.

If he had any feelings at all to contradict his deep seated anger, it was resentment. Wanda had been his godmother only to conquer Dimmsdale. While not exactly caring, she'd stuck by him when few others had. He'd trusted her and she'd betrayed him. Then again, on the day she stood before him, she'd told him there was no such thing as love. Anything resembling it was destroyed before allowed to flourish.

Ironically enough, it was only a few months afterward that he discovered his telepathy with Tootie. Initially, he'd rejected it. However, with the lurking darkness facing him and her kind words and constant sympathy, he soon found himself under her charms. It hadn't taken too long to fall in love with her and she, forever chasing him, finally caught her quarry. He only wished he could say it'd been a fairy tale life afterwards.

Behind him, in the shadows, she stood, virtually invisible. Like him, she had nothing left. Vicky, her parents, everyone else she'd cared for had died horribly to "break her spirit". The only thing it'd done was stiffen her resolve. Even if she died, she _would _kill Wanda. Perhaps with her death, humans could finally live free. And if not, then at least she and Timmy wouldn't have to suffer under the anti fairies and heartless fairies.

>>Make it stop, Tootie…>> Timmy whimpered telepathically, resembling a ten year old instead of his true age, fifteen. Fearless in front of the fairies, he trembled mentally. At least with her, she comprehended and accepted it unflinchingly. She truly kept him anchored in the tempest of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. If she were not here, he had no doubt his cool demeanor would disappear in an instant.

Whatever happened, he must remain cool. Showing pain communicated weakness he could ill afford. Wanda already targeted him but, if she knew the depth of her impact, she would only continue. He thanked the gods she didn't know about him and Tootie. Otherwise, he might awake to find her throat slashed in the night. The thought made him shudder.

>>I wish I could…>> Tootie responded, shivering at her word choice. >>I wish I could make all the pain vanish for you, my love.>>

Lowering their wands, Mr. and Mrs. Turner nearly dead, the fairies nodded to each other. Disdain curled Timmy's upper lip; pure unadulterated hatred flashed in his blue eyes. Yet, despite his ex fairy godmother being responsible for death, anguish, and misery, he didn't hate her. She wasn't truly to blame for the creature she'd become.

"Don't fuck with the fairies, do you understand?" the head snapped, dark blue hair tumbling down to mid upper arm. Her turquoise eyes flashed dully and Timmy got the impression she'd rather be doing anything in the world than this. She only served under Wanda for fear of death.

Many fairies perished under direct opposition; Timmy sometimes wondered if Wanda relished their deaths. The last time he'd seen her, she'd looked no happier than before. In fact, he wondered if she could feel at all. If that power hadn't left her after Cosmo's death…but he daren't think it too loudly. Only he, Wanda, and now Tootie knew about Cosmo. He was her Achilles' heel.

Timmy said nothing, calculating the situation. When he finally spoke, his words were slow and deliberate. The other fairies might not understand his reasoning, but he knew who would. And it was best, anyway, because it was she whom his words were suited for.

"Tell Wanda that Cosmo never wanted her to become a murderer and he doesn't think revenge is worth sacrificing her sanity and happiness. That he still loves her, even in death."

With that, he pivoted, crossed over to his hidden accomplice, and left. Tootie, glancing at him quizzically, kissed his cheek. Out of sight, he could express himself freely. Even so…he was not safe. Nowhere under Wanda's reign was anyone safe.

Clueless, the other fairies scratched their heads before vanishing themselves. Well, whatever rubbish the human sprouted, Wanda would doubtlessly see it as such. Who the hell was Cosmo, anyway? Probably a figment of his imagination.

* * *

"Well?" Wanda demanded upon their arrival. "Has he been dealt with?" 

She might have been his fairy godmother, but she showed little affection toward him. Everyone considered her to be heartless and she generally upheld their opinion. It wouldn't do to slip up, regardless of the fact she had yet to kill him. Deep in the fathoms of what used to be her heart, she cared a little for him. It was with him she'd shared the painful past of her beloved Cosmo and what almost was. He had seen her at her worst and despite that being a very good incentive to murder him on the spot, she refused.

"Yes, my mistress." The head fairy bowed deeply, kneeling at the hem of her black gown. Wanda nodded in acknowledgement.

"Yet he had odd words in departure. Perhaps we must resort to more extreme measures," she murmured and then proceeded to repeat Timmy's words. Instead of her regarding it insignificantly like she'd believed, the color drained quickly from her face. Wanda grabbed the armrests of the chair to steady herself and shut her eyes tightly.

Breathing deeply, for once showing the rare emotion of misery, Wanda nodded at her servant once more in dismissal. The creature, stunned, stared dully back. What on earth could upset her so much? It'd just been a human's foolish, stupid folly. What was so horrible about it? Moreover, what had there been in his words causing her to react thusly?

"Cosmo…Cosmo died…" Wanda whispered, tears burning the insides of her eyelids.

"I beg your pardon, my mistress, but there really _was _a Cosmo?" the head fairy inquired meekly.

Raising her head while furiously fighting tears, Wanda grabbed her wand and blasted her aside. Without another word, she vanished into her quarters, grabbed her pillow, and curled up in a ball. The trouble was, she wasn't alone.

* * *

"Wanda…" the spirit whispered, eyes melancholy. One translucent hand reached out, but she buried her head in her knees and whimpered. Every once in a while, her whole body would shake with suppressed sobs. Why now? Why had he come too late? 

If only he had arrived a few millennia ago, then he might have seen what she was becoming. In her heart of hearts, she hadn't wanted this. She hadn't wanted to rule over them because they were weaker. She'd wanted only to have her beloved back with her. Were her wishes so wrong? Was it her fault she'd fallen so badly for him?

Cosmo had managed to appear to her a total of five times over the years, each time more grim than the last. Big Daddy had placed guards around the house to keep him out, as though ensuring her brutality might save him her wrath. Seeing Cosmo scream in terror as a magical barrier tore into him drove sanity back in…only long enough for her to sink to the floor and scream his name. It wasn't fair, damn it.

The night before she'd killed her father, she'd looked to the sky for any sign of him. She thought if he'd just appeared once more and warned her not to do what she planned, she would not have. If Cosmo had shown up before her hits, she would never have hurt them. He kept her in check…regardless of how little sanity she possessed, he'd never let it flee entirely in his presence.

He was her soul mate, he understood her like no one else. When she screamed his name for the last time in the asylum before forcing herself to act normal, he'd held her the best he could. He'd understood why she'd tried to kill herself and while he hardly condoned it, he hadn't hated her. He couldn't hate her…or so she thought.

But how could he love her now? For years, she'd never seen him, only glimpses. For some odd reason, he'd avoided her and terrible things occurred in his absence. Terrible, horrible things because Wanda could not control herself anymore. Separation from Cosmo tore into her like a knife.

Through gritted teeth, she whispered, "You're not here. If I don't look, I won't see you. If I don't listen, I won't hear you."

Gone for too long and now she could not bear to look upon his face. In their last meeting, she'd promised him not to go overboard. If this wasn't going overboard, she didn't know _what _was. She'd broken her promise and lost herself in the pain.

"Why, Wanda, why? Why have you become…this?" Cosmo whispered in response, sitting close to her. "Why are you ignoring me?"

_I don't deserve your loyalty…I don't deserve** you **anymore, my love…I am not the fairy you fell in love with…_

"You're dead… the ghosts of the past can't hurt me…" Wanda raised her head, swallowed hard, and laughed deliriously. "I'm just going insane."

Cosmo's somber eyes narrowed and, stole a sliver of her bountiful energy. While ghosts cannot fully resurrect themselves without stealing all of another's life energy, acquiring a little gives them more solidity. He couldn't stand being here, so close, without touching her. He might be dead, but he was so close…

He gained enough power to brush her arm and then her face. Wanda continued to tremble uncontrollably and, instinctively, she shoved him away. Timmy was wrong- Cosmo didn't, couldn't love her anymore. She was a monster.

"If I'm dead, then you are too," Cosmo murmured, stroking her face. "You're dead inside."

Drawing back again, retreating into her black lace pillows, she held up her wand, quaking with the rest of her. Tears streamed down her face and she bit her lip painfully. Cosmo watched her, but he showed not an ounce of fear. Instead, his gaze turned mournful. He lamented the fairy she'd been and the one she'd become.

"I'll destroy you." The words contained not the threat she'd anticipated but her voice trembled. "It'll be easy."

"You could, but you won't," he responded softly, approaching yet again. This time, she found herself trapped between the pillows and his loving caress. Sobs wracked her body and, instead of shoving him away, she clung to his hand. It had no warmth, but it was _his_.

"I'm a monster, Cosmo…" she whispered, kissing his arm. Cosmo retreated this time and observed her coolly. Wanda fell upon the bedspread and clutched it tightly to her chest. The green fairy ghost longed to comfort her, but they both knew the truth.

"Yes, you are," he responded quietly, succumbing to the urge to run his hands along her back. Wanda shuddered, concentrating on his touch.

For a few blissful moments, Cosmo's hands caressed her back. Although she said nothing, he sensed her sobs lurking beneath the surface. She always cried when he returned. He only wished she wouldn't…he returned for her to cheer her, not to make her more miserable…

"And I have to go…"

Timmy would be expecting him. The two, unbeknownst to Wanda, were plotting to dethrone Wanda. Cosmo thought it was the only thing that might return her to sanity. Foolishly, he thought it was her rule continuing her insanity, but he hadn't felt her agony at his death.

"No!" Wanda screamed, pushing against the bedspread and sitting up. "I forbid you to leave me!"

Regardless of when, she always made the same demand. Her eyes were wide, her breath ragged. Though he could hardly confirm it, he thought if she could propel herself after him, she would. She'd go to the depths of the ocean for him.

"Timmy needs me…" Losing form as they spoke, Cosmo managed to acquire enough to cup her chin in his palm and kiss her on the lips before vanishing.

Silence reigned and Wanda was unable to stop shaking. It took a good ten minutes to regain her composure and when she did, she called in her guards. Perhaps she truly wasn't finished with her godson.

"Bring me Timmy Turner _now_. _Alive_."

* * *

Within her throne, Wanda felt more secure, but only slightly. Every once in a while, another tremor would seize her and she gritted her teeth. She couldn't help it- she was panicking and sobbing inwardly. Seeing Cosmo had reminded her of the slice of humanity and sanity she'd buried underneath layers of hatred and anger. He was the reason she'd done this…to get vengeance for his murder… 

Her head fairy appeared, digging her wand into her godson's throat. Despite all that had happened to him, his face worn a sullen, insolent look. Near his jeans' pockets, his fists balled. She watched them and frowned deeply before waving away all her guards. She wanted none to be privy to this conversation.

"You've made a mistake to leave us alone, Wanda," Timmy snarled. "I could kill you right now."

Unlike Cosmo, he felt no affection to her. Truthfully, he couldn't understand how his love had endured so many centuries. Yet whenever Cosmo spoke of her, he always did in a rush of happiness. Even faced with the truth, Wanda had no heart, he refused to accept it. Why, he argued, would she cling to him whenever he visited if she had no heart? Why would she ask forgiveness? And to that…Timmy had no answer.

"You could…" Wanda murmured, eerily repeating her beloved's words, "but you won't."

_I wouldn't bank on that, your **majesty**, _Timmy thought angrily, eyes narrowed.

Springing forth soundlessly, he suddenly sat on her armrest and pressed a knife into her throat. Wanda's eyes widened, but she showed no fear. Instead, her hand squeezed her wand lovingly and Timmy gasped, unable to breathe. No one, especially not a human, gained the upper hand over her. If Timmy refused to speak, so be it. Let his corpse speak for him. She no longer feared death, she embraced it. Even if he managed to kill her, she would be at peace.

"Why does Cosmo show up for you and never for me? _Tell me_!" she growled, releasing his throat just enough for him to pant gratefully for breath. He fell to the floor and convalesced.

Cosmo granted her lucidity for a limited amount of time. Once he vanished, her sanity did as well. Her thoughts were clouded by vengeance constantly and she could no more prevent her actions than summon him.

Behind the curtains, our Tootie shuddered as well, hearing the echoes of his messages to her counterpart. From what she could discern, AU Timmy seemed fairly convinced of his own demise. Another tremor rocked her at the thought that while her own Wanda, albeit under a great deal of stress and torment, might snap occasionally, it was nothing compared to this. She was loving, sweet, and concerned. What on earth could have caused such an about face?

"I won't tell you anything, you bitch!" Timmy screamed. "You can kill me-"

Narrowly avoiding tripping, Wanda descended and hovered directly above him. Wand held out, she glowered down. Every cell in her body echoed the rage coursing through her body. Badly, she longed to break that smug look on his face and perhaps a few of his bones, but she forced her patience to return. She _had _to discover why Cosmo appeared to him and not her. It tore her up inside.

Not to mention she _valued _her brief moments of sanity…

Drawing back her hand, she slapped him across the face. Such impudence would not be tolerated, especially from one which had been lucky to survive his past relatively unscathed. Were he any other subject, his head would adorn her wall again. He enjoyed freedoms unimaginable by any other human, yet he openly defied her. He treaded on thin ice, but she received the impression he cared little. He who thought he had nothing to lose truly had everything- Tootie, for example, might find herself on the short end of Wanda's temper. She might kill him, but then that would leave Tootie open for attack.

Clutching the curtains between her fingers, her face pale and unreadable, our Tootie regarded the alternate Wanda. In her skirt pocket lay the transistor, armed and ready. Like the rest of her, it quivered in anticipation. While she wouldn't put it past any creature imbued with traits stunningly like The Other, the thought of any Wanda counterpart murdering her godson shocked her. Especially considering her own Wanda struggled to maintain her failing relationship with _her _Timmy.

Suddenly, breaking the silence, Timmy spat, "_This _is why Cosmo never shows up around you anymore. We both know you're a monster and he's just too afraid to say it. He hates you."

Wanda choked and released her wand, clattering to the floor. If Timmy had intended to shock her, he'd done a very good job. From her position behind the curtains, Tootie noted the color drain from the pink fairy's face and she no longer resembled the monster everyone believed her to be. Instead, she looked ancient, far beyond her years. Timmy's comment had seared deeply.

Timmy regarded Wanda coldly before kicking her aside. Without another word, he pivoted on his heels and turned towards the door. His shoulders were rigid and Tootie withheld a hiss. Distantly, as though reaching her through a filter, came his telepathy with her counterpart, but she ignored it. Besides, it was far too distant to distinguish and her attention was focused elsewhere.

While she hadn't seen enough of his life to be entirely on his side, she couldn't but feel he treated Wanda unjustly. Recent memories of her own counterpart treating her in this fashion surfaced. She'd slapped him, but she'd never kicked him while he was down. A surge of anger against him coursed through her, but before she could act upon it, Cal placed a hand on her shoulder. He shook his head firmly, indicating she ought to interfere as little as possible. Resentful but respectful, Tootie reluctantly relaxed.

"Liar!" Wanda screamed, tears brimming in her eyes. Bereft of her wand, glowing ominously, invisible hands squeezed her godson's throat. Timmy gasped, then, noticing his lack of air, clutched his throat. Slowly, his face began to assume an anti fairy's color.

He hadn't been working with Cosmo, contrary to what Wanda might think. The ghost had come to him and told him if he knew where Wanda was. After awhile, they'd struck up an uneasy friendship, for the fact Cosmo still cared deeply for Wanda disturbed Timmy more than he could say. He didn't understand how anyone could love a monster, especially one as twisted as her.

Tootie's own throat closed up- what felt like years ago, she'd seen her own counterpart murdered by her anti form, but this paled in comparison. Beside her, Daniela murmured something to Cal, nodding, but Tootie ignored them both. She thought she might be sick. Whatever they had to say on the matter, anyway, mattered little to her. All that mattered was getting out of here without being seen and then perhaps seeing what she'd recently eaten.

Beside her, Cal made an odd noise and placed a hand on her shoulder. If she'd bothered to think for a moment, she might have realized watching this reminded me of his own murder. Only, it hadn't been at the hands of a fellow light fairy. A murderous Wanda both worried and frightened him, especially since she showed no compassion for her godson. Just thinking about it, he tightened his grip painfully on his goddaughter's shoulder.

Timmy thrashed violently and when he stopped, Wanda halted. However, what gave her pause concerned Tootie little at the moment. Abandoning all pretenses, she ran as swiftly as she could without being noticed straight out. Her legs did not feel as though they would support her weight and buckled, sending her colliding into the nearest creature. Damn it, she'd disobeyed one of Cal's commands and been spotted. Well, maybe this one would help her.

"Don't hurt me!" The dirty blonde haired fairy squeaked, feebly shoving a training wand up in defense. Her normal attire was scratched and what looked unpleasantly like blood lined them. When she spoke, her pink eyes darted back and forth, petrified of locating someone. The eyes and drooping swirly hair reminded Tootie of someone…

"Er…are you Wanda's sister?" Tootie inquired, frowning. Other than different hair colors, they were virtually indistinguishable as far as looks. The only other creature she could possibly be was her mother, but judging by her age, she doubted it. Why would Wanda shove her sister out here to perform menial chores?

"I…I have a wand, human, and I'm not afraid to use it!" Blonda cried and, in response, the wand sputtered and gasped out two red sparks. They tumbled to the ground unimpressively.

"Your wand's dead," Daniela smirked, brandishing her own. Since she technically hadn't regained her own body, the wand worked temperamentally. Jorgen, apparently, randomly tossed wands to Cal and Daniela. It sounded about right, anyway, given his previous air of concern regarding his unpaid mercenary's well-being.

Gazing sadly down at her pathetic excuse for a magical conduit, Blonda said nothing. Silence, broken only by telepathic messages Tootie couldn't hear, descended upon the group. Beyond them, a group of creatures too far away to see them began to dig Timmy Turner's grave. Tootie swallowed hard, finally driven to speak. They, after all, had only a limited time to seek answers anyway.

"If you're Wanda's sister, why are you out here and not in there…?" _With your homicidal sister. On second thought, I don't really blame you._

"That's a long story…" Blonda trailed off uncertainly, but Tootie, ignoring Daniela's comment that "everything is a long story on these damn missions", coaxed her on. Gazing around again, she launched into the story.

* * *

**(9, 900 years ago)**

**Everything was prepared, after months of deliberation. Wanda paced the outside of a small church in Fairy World and kept her eyes pinned on the sky. In a few seconds, her fiancé would arrive and they would finally be together until "death do they part". That was, if everything went according to plan. According to their telepathy, nothing had gone in the slightest bit out of the ordinary.**

**>>My mom thinks I'm getting milk!>> Cosmo sent gleefully, flying on the three headed dragon. Well, he _had _wanted to make a unique entrance.**

**Besides, it was their wedding. Who was she to argue? Her stomach was a bundle of nerves, her palms sweaty, but she was elated. In a few hours, they would be man and wife and nothing could destroy them, much less his mother and her wretched father. **

**>>And my father thinks…>> Here she halted. As far as she knew, her father knew nothing. Because Blonda was her twin, she'd told her they were eloping, but not the time and place. Hopefully, her father hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary and therefore, hadn't seen a need to investigate. Even if he had, she didn't see why her sister would betray them. Surely her loyalty to her sister was stronger than her fear of their father? At least, she prayed it was…**

**>>Your father doesn't think; he just kills!>> Cosmo sent back cheerfully, sailing in already dressed in his tux. Wanda thought, smirking, that stupidity must run in the family for her not to notice such obvious oddity. _Who _fetched the milk wearing a black tuxedo? **

**Far from mollifying her, she glanced around again. Hugging her arms to her chest, she bit back a gasp. Unconsciously she retreated, beginning to panic. How was _he _here? How had he heard? No…she couldn't have…**

** Why would she? Didn't she love her? Wouldn't it make more sense to remain loyal? Sure, Big Daddy was frightening, but not entirely unreasonable if he didn't know. Why would she betray her like this? _Why?_  
**

**Several fairies screamed as Big Daddy arrived. Wanda, breathing shallowly, held up her wand cautiously and looked towards the skies again. The three headed dragon flew directly overhead. Cosmo would be here any minute…but maybe he wouldn't do anything to him…Maybe he'd show him some mercy…she _did _love him…**

**In the pit of her stomach, snakes coiled and uncoiled. Her darkest fears glimmered before her. Just when she thought she was happy, her father would destroy it. He would make her miserable because he thought he was doing what was best. **

**>>Cosmo! Big Daddy!>> She cried, biting back another gasp when her father appeared before her. The hand holding her wand behind her back shook badly. How could he be here? How? How could she betray her?  
**

**>>Huh? He can't hear us on this.>> Cosmo replied, oblivious, but Wanda's anxiety reached him in mid air and he immediately began to amend his foolish question. Even so, she told him fretfully.**

** >>No, he's _here_.>> With her statement, she released the ball of trepidation threatening to bring up her meager breakfast. Cosmo felt it as well and, though still in the air, he showed her through pure feeling how badly he wanted to comfort her. His blind optimism informed her they would be fine, but she sensed worry lurking. Neither of them could quite shake their fear of Big Daddy.  
**

**"You were going to elope with that moron, weren't you?" Big Daddy growled, picking at her wedding dress. Above them, Cosmo circled on the three headed dragon but hesitated to land. Their eyes met and Cosmo looked torn between rushing to her aid and hiding from her father. **

**"I…" Forcing herself to breathe deeply, she felt rather than saw Cosmo land swiftly and send the dragon away. Then, he floated near her, but cowered. Her Cosmo- not a brave bone in his body.**

**Beside her father, Blonda appeared. When Wanda scanned her face, she shifted her gaze. So she _had _told him something. She'd thought more of her own safety than that of her sister's happiness! She'd always known Blonda to be a drama queen, but selfish too? **

**Refraining from growling, she glowered. Didn't she understand just how much their father hated him? Didn't she understand that now that she'd prevented them once, there was no way they'd get away with it again? Months of planning had gone into it and it was all for naught. Wanda wasn't certainly she was angry, upset, or worried for her beloved's life. At the moment, she supposed all three.**

**"You directly disobeyed my orders!" Big Daddy roared; the rest of the wedding party fled for their lives. If fear didn't root him to the spot, Cosmo probably would have too. He floated behind Wanda, aware of how painfully tight he clutched her waist.**

**Petrified but speaking with a voice that seemed to belong to another fairy, Wanda replied, "Love doesn't obey orders. I love Cosmo and I want to spend the rest of my life with him. Don't you understand that?"**

**"I said no after the first date! What part of that don't you understand?" Big Daddy roared, pointing his wand at Cosmo's head. The green fairy squealed and clung to her.**

**"I…I _will _marry him and there's nothing you can do about it…" Wanda said, intending to sound dangerous. However, in actuality, her voice quavered. She knew the look on her father's face all too well- it usually preceded an outcome she immensely disliked.**

**"If you let him go now, they'll just sneak off again…" Blonda murmured, loud enough for all present to hear. Too petrified to be angry at her sister, she managed another glower and placed her hands atop Cosmo's. **

**Nodding in acknowledgement, Big Daddy raised his wand, glowing brightly. In her ear, Cosmo whimpered, but he continued to hold strong. She had the feeling nothing short of death would pry them apart. Unfortunately, just thinking about it gave her an ominous feeling. She certainly hoped it wouldn't come to that…**

**"I'll give you to the count of three to let go of my daughter before I blast you," Big Daddy warned. "And if you don't promise to leave her alone for the rest of your doubtlessly short life, she'll be visiting your grave on Sundays."**

**Cosmo and Wanda cried out in unison; Wanda fought back tears. For a moment, she couldn't think. Why would her father kill someone she cared this deeply about? Why would he even threaten such a thing? Maybe he wasn't being serious…but she'd never known him to joke, either.**

**"But I love her!" >>And I can't imagine life without you…>>  
**

**"We're soul mates! We've got telepathy!" she protested, lifting one of Cosmo's hands with difficulty (his hands had started to dig into her side) and kissing it. **

**>>Nor I, my love. If you die, then I will die with you.>> Although she had never communicated this before, she knew it to be true. Telepathy never lied.  
**

**"Are you questioning me?" Big Daddy snarled, aiming now.**

**"Please, Big Daddy, don't hurt him!" Wanda cried, but these were the magic words. A scarlet beam issued from her father's wand and struck Cosmo first in the forehead, and then in the chest. Silence descended and Wanda held her breath. Maybe he'd just stunned him…**

**In the back of her mind, something very painful occurred. It felt like someone had grabbed her own heart, twisted it agonizingly, and then began to gore it. With a scream, she collapsed on the pavement next to him. Blood filled her lungs, but it wasn't her, it was him. It was he who couldn't breathe…couldn't think…couldn't move…**

**The wand had torn through his vital organs like they were nothing. Blood poured into his lungs, choking him. Any stragglers and Blonda retreated, their faces pale. Cosmo and Wanda flopped like fish out of water; they shook as though enduring seizures. Blonda, terrified, covered her eyes.**

**Big Daddy's face paled and his eyes narrowed. His wand clattered soundlessly to the brick beneath them. For a moment, he stared wordlessly. There was no way…he hadn't…damn it, no! Wanda was faking this, wasn't she? Still, a nagging voice told him that he truly was hurting her...**

**Cosmo's life force slipped away under Wanda's notice and dazed, she wondered momentarily who was dying. While the pain arched through her body, her eyes opened wide but saw nothing. So this was how death felt? Hot, bloody, and excruciating- did he put everyone he killed through this? She just wanted it to be over...**

**And, in a few seconds, it was. Wanda, delirious, passed out.**

* * *

**When she awoke, she wasn't quite certain what had just happened. Then, a terrible, throbbing ache filled her. Every part of her body pulsated, like she'd been left torn open. In fact, she almost preferred focusing on this rather than the second sensation. At least it made her feel alive.**

**Agonizing emptiness encompassed her soul. Not only did it feel like she'd lost someone essential to her being, but she'd felt like she'd lost herself in the process. She was a shell of a fairy; her body did not belong to her. Her soul had just died and left the rest of her here.**

**Blinking and opening her eyes revealed the horrible, blinding sunlight. Never before had she loathed the light, but now she would rather die than endure it. It seared into her already open wounds. Who had been foolish enough to leave the curtains? She would kill them!**

**Her thoughts gave her pause. Kill? But that was hardly in her nature. She was kind, sweet, and loving. Or, rather, she thought she'd been. Right now, beyond the agony, she felt the odd stirrings of hatred. She'd get everyone who had placed her in this situation…**

**"She's waking…" A voice murmured fitfully beside her and Wanda shifted in her direction. Cold loathing surged through her veins and she blinked. Why would she suddenly hate her? None of this made the slightest sense. Blonda was her _sister_.**

**"Are you all right?" Blonda asked urgently, but she ignored her question and posed one of her own. **

**"Where is he? Where's Cosmo?" Wanda demanded. In response, her body throbbed again. Although she could sense the answer, she refused to accept it. Cosmo couldn't be dead…this was just a horrific dream.**

**"Big…Big Daddy killed him…" Blonda whispered, stroking her sister's hair. Wanda grabbed her wrist, squeezed it tightly, and growled.**

**"Don't _touch _me," she spat. _He can't be…Big Daddy wouldn't have…_**

**"I…I'm sorry…" she murmured, vanishing before she could break anything.**

**Left alone to her own thoughts, Wanda slowly descended into madness. Through thousands of years of training by her father in ruthlessness, plus the agony of Cosmo's loss renewing itself, Blonda's betrayal, and her father's murder, the feelings grew. She _would _have her revenge…if she couldn't bring Cosmo back…then everyone responsible would suffer horribly…**

**

* * *

(Within six hours of the past events)**

**Breathing heavily, the head nurse shook her head at Big Daddy and Blonda. While she was aware of his temper tantrums, she hoped he comprehended. There was just no _point _in visiting Wanda. She was beyond their scope to speak with. All she spoke, endlessly, was one name- Cosmo. She'd scream it at the top of her lungs and then thrash violently. That was why she currently was locked up in the padded room- they seemed to think she was capable of suicide, and, after seeing her with knives, the nurse was inclined to agree.**

**While they turned, a ghost, unbound by those restrictions, quickly located her. Mute, he descended through the white pads and observed her. His green eyes shone with misery. This was the first time he'd seen her since his death and time had not been her friend. **

**Rings glimmered under her eyes, her hair hung loosely, limp, and she'd lost a great deal of weight very quickly. Although her back was to him, he spotted a portrait of him clutched to her chest. She rocked back and forth, whispering his name, unaware of anything else. Tears streamed down her face.**

**"Cosmo…Cosmo…" **

**Tentatively, he drew her energy sufficiently enough to kiss her neck. Nonetheless, she continued her motions without noticing anything. In fact, he had the sudden, dreadful sensation she could not see him at all. Not because he was a ghost, but because her mind no longer functioned properly. If it refused to perceive him, she would not see anything of the sort.**

**"Cosmo…Cosmo…" **

**"Wanda!" Cosmo screamed, flinging himself on her back. Again, she noticed nothing. He might have been a pad for all she conceived. **

**"Cosmo…" She whispered, throwing him off and then flinging herself onto the wall. For ten minutes, she banged her head, fists, and the rest of her body against it. **

**"Wanda, please, listen to me…" he whimpered, but, once again, she ignored him. **

**"My baby is dead…" she said in a sing-song voice. When she turned in his direction again, he saw her pink eyes were disconcertingly blank. **

**"Cosmo!" Wanda screamed, without ever seeing him before her.**

**

* * *

(Exactly 9, 870 years after the previous event)**

**"You've done well, Wanda," Big Daddy beamed at his eldest daughter. Ever since that fateful day, after recovering from suicidal thoughts plaguing her for a year, she'd worked for him. Within time, she'd become just as ruthless and driven as him, if not more. Whenever he did die, he felt comfortable leaving his business to her. He had the utmost faith she would surpass his greatest dreams.**

**Well, in every area except one. Whereas Big Daddy possessed some compassion for his family, Wanda had shown none. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but he thought her heart might have died that day. Never again had she smiled sincerely, but only at another's suffering. Never again did she laugh, but only at another's expense. While this helped in their affairs, it frightened her twin a great deal and her father a little. She performed her actions like a machine, never pausing to ponder. In fact, he recalled she'd killed a few fairies he'd asked to leave alive.**

**Frowning slightly, he placed a hand on her shoulder. Wanda's head immediately shot in that direction and a dirty look crossed her face. Despite never actually harming him, her eyes stabbed him. He'd forgotten for a second the rule she'd set after agreeing to work with him- never touch her. In fact, no one was allowed to touch her at all. If they did, she'd break the offending appendage.**

**Removing it quickly, he scanned her profile. Something he hadn't seen before aimed at him, hatred, flashed. He blinked and it vanished. Just a trick of the light, he was certain. There was no way she hated her father.**

**"I _thought _I warned you about touching me, Father?" she spoke coolly, but her voice held a hidden threat. Within her pocket, her fingers stroked her wand lovingly. Big Daddy blinked again, but discarded the notion of assassination. This was his _daughter _he was thinking about. Regardless of her merciless actions in the past, she'd never hurt him.**

**"You did…" Still frowning, he examined her cold, calculating eyes. Come to think of it, the last time compassion shone through them was the day before she tried to elope. Ever since then, her gaze had hardened until it transformed into the ice it held now. **

**"Wanda, what happened to the sweet pink fairy who used to advocate for every creature she felt was downtrodden?" **

**Cold pink eyes bored into his own pink and he winced, turning away to complete his sentence. He might be very much mistaken, but he'd seen murder etched there. It caused him to retreat and a nasty smirk to flit across her face. Apprehension filled him and he tried to think logically. He was just overworked…there was no way his daughter could possibly think along those lines.**

**"She died," Wanda replied flatly, sliding her wand out and stunning him in one swift step. Before he could draw his own weapon, she'd him beat. The student had surpassed the teacher, but perhaps this was a test. With his heart racing, he hoped against hope it was indeed this. Still, he had a sinking sensation this was his Alamo. Wanda was going to murder him.**

**"She died the day you killed her beloved Cosmo." **

**Holding out her wand, she cornered him, unable to move because of the paralysis spreading. Furiously, he sent the impulses to various body parts to move, but they ignored him. Magic crackled from her wand- he _had _to get out of here. While he hadn't the faintest idea what he'd do from there, he'd worry about that later. Right now, escape weighed heavily on his mind.**

**When she spoke her dead lover's name, Big Daddy stared, scrutinizing her face again. Agony flickered across her pink eyes and tears sparkled, but they vanished all too soon. He realized dully her pain and tears were not for her own father, but for the fairy he'd murdered in front of her. The fairy that had nearly killed her as well because he'd destroyed them after their discovery of telepathy. She'd felt every ache in her beloved's body. He'd…he'd unhinged his daughter…**

**"Very good," Wanda said coldly, aware from his expression what he'd deduced. "It only took you nearly ten millennia to understand you almost killed your daughter. Perhaps now you comprehend why I screamed Cosmo's name repeatedly for six months after you killed him in front of me. Perhaps now you acknowledge murdering him reduced me to instability. And perhaps _now_, you will understand why I cannot permit you to live any longer.**

**"You drove me insane, Father Dearest, now I shall drive you to your grave."**

**Big Daddy screamed and then, like all corpses, he grew very cold and still…

* * *

**

**(Five years ago, on what would have been Cosmo and Wanda's 8, 890th anniversary)**

**No one knew quite what happened to Big Daddy, but Wanda let Blonda in on a little secret. After that moment, Blonda watched her mouth very carefully, but it was too late. While she hadn't quite the same fate for her sister as her father, she'd her marked. When her time came, it would be swift and relatively painless- for _her_.**

**Blonda had fallen in love with her soul mate (she'd chattered on about their telepathy for hours, to the point where Wanda longed to strangle her). Prattling on about how she couldn't bear the thought of them separated, Wanda was struck by an idea. Any sane fairy would have perhaps spoken their jealous, but Wanda was no longer considered by any test strictly sane. All she knew was finally, the moment arrived wherein Blonda could feel the agony Wanda felt after Cosmo's death. It was perfect…an eye for an eye (will make the world blind).**

**At the moment, she and her lovely Rick (or Richard or Dick or whatever it was, for the name mattered little) strolled along the grounds of her palace. Not soon after she'd become Timmy Turner's godmother, she'd managed to bend the humans in Dimmsdale to obey her will. All it had cost her was the exposure of her valuable secret (she still cried over Cosmo's death). However, since the only living creature alive aware was a human, she figured she was safe.**

**"Enjoying yourself, sister, dear?" Wanda inquired gently, forcing herself to speak the way she had nine thousand, eight hundred and ninety-five years ago. To the casual observer, she acted the loving sister. However, within her pockets she clutched her wand tightly. This would be sweet.**

**"Of course!" Blonda trilled, beaming back. Wanda forced a smile in response, jaw aching. **

**A few moments ago, she'd watched them make out by the fountain. It'd taken every ounce of self control in her body not to murder him right then and there. Seeing them caused her to yearn for her beloved Cosmo; it'd been thousands of years since he'd visited her as a ghost. She'd die just for his lips to touch hers again…**

**Settling by them, sitting in her courtyard, she fingered her wand. Soon, she would strike. She wanted her to experience every second of her agony firsthand. Blonda had never suffered her loss; she didn't understand how Cosmo's murder had killed her inside. She had no _right _to parade him in front of her after helping to kill her beloved.**

**"Blonda, sweetie, didn't you ever wonder why our father never returned from that night venture twenty years ago?" **

**"No…" **

**Breathing shallowly, retreating, Richard answered for her. His wand he clasped prominently in front. Hmph, he thought he stood a match for her? He believed he would survive an encounter she'd planned for months and he had no preparation for? He would _not escape_- Blonda _would _know how it felt to lose Cosmo through Richard.**

**"She's going to kill me like she killed your father! Blonda, she's insane!" Richard shrieked, snatching her sister and cradling her to his chest. Absolute trust shone in her sister's pink eyes; anything he told her, she'd accept as fact. Good, then they were as close as she and Cosmo had been.**

**"Aren't _you _the clever one?" Wanda purred. "Right in three." **

**Waving her wand much like her father had, she took careful aim. In a few moments, after Blonda regained consciousness and started screaming his name, the circle would be complete. She'd finally understand why visions of Cosmo had haunted her sister and why every time she'd opened her eyes and felt his excruciating absence, her heart had stopped. She'd wanted to be dead because at least there, she would be with him.**

**"Stop!" Blonda pleaded, throwing a hand in front of his chest. Wanda's eyes widened, but no trace of sanity returned.**

**"Kill me instead! Please…"**

**"Blonda, _no_!" Richard cried, but Wanda ignored him. With a perfunctory wave of her wand, she bound and gagged him to a flagpole bearing her own design. His head hit the metal hard and, sliding down a few inches, his blood sparkled.**

**"And deprive you of the joy you gave me? Deprive you of the delight of feeling your soul mate die while you wish you were dead because the pain is so intense? I don't _think _so," Wanda said coldly, eyes narrowed in disdain. **

**"I'm afraid I must refuse your order, sister."**

**Raising her wand once more, she ensured her sister never forgot exactly what she'd gone through. **

* * *

**(Present day)**

Hanging her head and hugging her arms to her chest, Blonda sighed. Tootie's eyes widened- while she hardly condoned Wanda's actions, she sympathized. When Timmy had tried to kill himself, her own heart had stopped. The thought of losing him because Vicky or someone that close to her killed him would drive her insane.

"I've already said too much…" Blonda whispered, vanishing with a crack.

Silence descended upon the group; Tootie clasped the transistor. During Blonda's stories, she'd developed an idea. The only creature Wanda ever responded to without lashing out was Cosmo. It stood to reason that the only creature, therefore, to restore peace to this world was him. With the transistor, she might be able to make him appear and then she'd decide upon a punishment.

* * *

Only through threats and violence did Tootie enter the palace and stand before Wanda. Knowing her history, she shivered. Her Wanda would not like this one at all. However, she might empathize with her on certain points. 

Sitting upon her throne, eyes narrowed to slits, the pink fairy regarded her "audience". The two fairies rumored to be traveling with her were nowhere to be found, but she preferred that. From what she could tell, the girl proved to be unarmed. Therefore, she would pose little threat. She could join her lover in a few moments.

Suddenly, before Wanda could open her mouth, the two fairies returned, a third floating between them. She clutched the arms of her chair tightly; it dug into her palms, but she only noticed the third fairy. Everyone else had vanished. He had returned to her…

"Cosmo…" Wanda breathed, shuddering happily. An expression her minions had never seen and Timmy only once, crossed her face. It transformed her from the monster everyone believed her to be to a slight pink figure, seemingly incapable of harming a fly. Enraptured, her gaze captured her love's.

"I have decided on a punishment," Tootie called, sounding more like Jorgen Von Strangle than herself. The reaction caused Cal to shiver and Dan to scoff. Well, she'd never figured Dan set much stock by rules anyway.

Both fairies turned in her direction; Cosmo glowed palely in the thin sunlight permitted by the heavily black cloaked windows. Everything around them was black. Even after thousands of years, Wanda still mourned his loss. Thanks to their telepathy and bonding, she'd never been able to come to terms with it. It merely cloyed at her daily, until she sought relief wherever she could find it, including torture and murder. None of those things really satisfied her like she'd hoped, though.

"Wanda, for crimes against other fairies, including the brutal murder of your father, torturing your sister, and murdering her soul mate, I condemn you to death."

There was a sharp intake of breath and Tootie flicked a glance at Daniela and Cal. She couldn't determine whether Dan was surprised, pleased, or just shocked. Cal, however, looked outraged. While he bided his tongue, his brown eyes were narrowed. Being a doctor in Fairy World before becoming a godfather, he disapproved of taking another's life, regardless of the situation. Needless bloodshed had always irked him.

"However, since death and the immediate afterlife are too good for your actions, including torturing and killing humans (not to mention my Timmy's counterpart), you will be damned to roam the earth as a ghost for however long your normal fairy lifespan extends."

Wanda swallowed hard, eyes narrowed, clearly pondering how to escape. Her spies had informed her a missionary of a Jorgen counterpart had been assigned to "fix" this world, but she wasn't going to go down without a fight. Despite disdaining the hand she'd been dealt, she infinitely preferred life to death. Yet, when she glanced over at Cosmo, her heart ached. Maybe death wouldn't be so bad…if she had Cosmo…

Before she could snatch her wand, it swung in a low, graceful arc to Cal, catching it deftly. Without a word, he pocketed it. The tension hung thick; correctly, Wanda and Cosmo awaited an addendum. They weren't wrong, either.

"And I sentence Wanda to serve her punishment alone- _without _Cosmo. That way, she has nothing to distract her from her guilt."

Silence reigned, but, to her surprise, Wanda said nothing. Staring sullenly out over her room, she hugged her knees to her chest. Tears shone in her eyes, but still, she refrained from speaking. If Tootie were to hazard a guess on her thoughts, she'd probably say they centered on the concept that she deserved this. She'd killed because she'd lost Cosmo…so it was only right she should be killed and spend the rest of her time without him…

"No!" Cosmo screamed abruptly and every eye in the room shot towards him. Trembling, he zoomed towards Wanda and, by stealing some more of her energy, clutched her to his transparent chest. One of his hands sunk right through her hair when he stroked it.

"You can kill her and even make her a ghost like me…but don't take her away again!" Tears formed and he pressed himself against her; he nearly fell through.

Tootie frowned. _She denied everyone something precious…whether it was their true love or their life. It only makes sense that she should be denied the thing that would make her afterlife bearable. _

_But then again…she killed **because **of him. Because his brutal murder drove her insane…and he's holding her so tightly. It's not fair to deny him her…but it is fair to deny her him, isn't it? I'm so confused…_

Before her eyes, Cosmo, still stealing energy, kissed her neck. Although she could not pick up every word he whispered to her, she understood the gist. Cosmo was telling Wanda she'd never drive them apart and he would always love her. The words caused Wanda's eyes to flood with unshed tears.

"Please," Cosmo whimpered, still clutching Wanda and shifting to snatch Tootie's eye, "don't punish both of us."

Tootie mulled this over for about ten minutes. She paced, her footsteps echoing in the vast enclosure. While she personally felt Wanda didn't deserve Cosmo, she also remembered her own Wanda. She couldn't help it- she pitied her. And Wanda clutched Cosmo just as tightly as he held her.

"I amend my punishment," Tootie said finally. "Wanda will spend her afterlife, ending whenever her natural lifespan would have, with Cosmo. He is assigned to listen to her tell why she has become this. That is all."

Feeling strangely energized by her proclamation, Tootie fiddled with the transistor, but before she could set anything, Jorgen appeared. Waving his wand uselessly, he glowered at Daniela, Cal, and Tootie. To the alternates Cosmo and Wanda, however, he paid no notice. Tootie's proclamation he would deal with later.

"You three- Fairy World now!" They vanished in a cloud of red smoke.

* * *

The smoke dispersed, permitting them to gape into the vast reaches of an empty Fairy World courtroom. No judge presided, but the Tooth Fairy, with a look fit to kill, sat alone. Before her rested three muffins, but, before Tootie could examine them further, Jorgen drew their attention away. As usual, his pompousness they would have to endure before anything else. Tootie growled at the thought. 

Perhaps recalling her previous outburst, the large fairy avoided her eyes. Instead, he glared at Daniela and Cal as though expecting them to snap. Daniela was sorely tempted, yet held back. Right now, they hadn't an idea what Jorgen had in mind and it was better not to toy with the unknown, particularly with his power.

"While I had no plan in mind to _repay _you-" Jorgen began, interrupted by a growl, this time from his wife, "my wife insisted upon it. She seemed to think I was using you for my own gains."

Through gritted teeth, Tootie retorted, "You _are _using me for your own gain. You're doing it so you don't have to straighten out the worlds yourself, because you prefer striking fear in the hearts of other fairies than actually doing a damn thing. I could have been killed countless times, but that doesn't matter to you, does it? All you care about is fixing what someone else broke because of your counterparts' negligence."

Fury etched in every line in his face, Jorgen roared loudly enough for fairies huddling nearby to poof off, terrified. No one interrupted him in a towering rage; no one except, it seemed, a thoroughly fed up Tootie. He thought she was a puppet! Cold anger surged through her veins and she wanted nothing more than to take the muffins, cram them down his throat, and watch him choke.

However, before he could speak, the Tooth Fairy rose, twiddling her wand. Jorgen gasped, massaging his throat, but his vocal cords no longer worked. She smirked, floating away, kissing him on the cheek, and then placing the three muffins on the table before them. As much as she loved her little dictator, he never really understood the importance of _keeping your mouth shut_. Sure, he was strong enough for that not to be a problem, but it grew cumbersome at times. From the expression on Tootie's face, she was in no mood and she didn't blame her.

"These are your rewards for helping us," the Tooth Fairy intoned, retreating in case Tootie refocused her anger. However, her eyes were drawn to the muffins and not the fairy behind.

Two of them reeked with the essence of blood, decay, and death. Black icing adorned it, mixed with what resembled bones. The cake itself smelled of dirt and the grave. Tootie shuddered, unable to imagine eating it. Nor could she imagine where it came from…or if this was their idea of a joke.

The third muffin would have been familiar to Tootie had she had a Fairy-versary. (Cal had died before a year). It was the infamous rule free wish muffin, sitting innocuously. Tootie blinked, wondering why she was receiving them at all.

"The first two," the Tooth Fairy indicated the black ones, "are Death Muffins. They will restore any being, human, fairy, or otherwise, to full health. One bite or the whole thing- it will only restore one creature apiece per muffin.

"The third is a Fairy-Versary muffin, capable of granting the user a rule free wish. The reason we did not give you three of these is because while wishing a person back to life is against Da Rules, it is not a muffin we would give out to children with fairy godparents for over a year anyway. Who knows what havoc that would wreak? Children could wish for Hitler alive again.

"In addition to the muffins, Cal and Daniela will be restored to full health. However, I must warn you to be especially careful with the Death Muffins. Use them, but use them well. Please do not use them for revenge…"

With that, Tootie, Cal, and Daniela returned not to the elevator of their arrival but directly to Dimmsdale.

* * *

**And that, folks, is the end of Shrouded Silhouettes. It also leads into the end of The Other Saga, but you'll find out about that later. Thanks for reading!**


	7. Bonus Round: Memory and Reverie

Author's Note: The chapter so nice it was edited and broken up four times!

Yep, it's a bonus chapter. I haven't written this series in forever, but when this idea came to mind, I used it. I doubt anyone's going to read this, but I thought I'd post it anyway. :D

Shrouded Silhouettes Bonus Chapter

Part One: Memory and Reverie

"Remind me again why I agreed to one more mission," Tootie said. "After the crap The Other versions did, the near death experiences, and the times Jorgen outright ignored us?"

"Because," Timmy said, "he lifted the ban on faerie babies, and now Cosmo and Wanda have Poof. And Cal and Daniela have…what's his name again?"

"Illiyich," Tootie said and rolled her eyes. "Don't ask me. Calente was going on about having a Russian name, but Daniela can hardly pronounce it, so he's called Ilya."

"And Jorgen said," Timmy affected a deep, masculine voice, " 'in order for the universe to come to grips with the new magical influx, you two must make sure there are no other magical surges. Now, I must stare at my muscles!' GO!'"

Tootie rolled her eyes. "He didn't say that."

"He might as well have," Timmy scoffed. "I'm surprised he and the Tooth Fairy _had _a kid, the way he looks at himself in the mirror."

Tootie had a sudden chilling thought. It'd been six months since anyone had seen Lorenzo, and only Wanda knew where he was. "What if Lorenzo relocated here?"

"He won't," Timmy said, his usual confidence jumping in. Six months without The Other had done him a world of good. Cosmo and Wanda had enrolled him in therapy and he was on medication to treat his depression. Gary had vacated Dimmsdale too, and Vicky and Mark were across town and out of sight, out of mind. Sophie continued to be a presence around the house, but since she adored children, it became like second nature for Cosmo and Wanda to leave Poof with her…temporarily. After spending years unable to conceive, Wanda was insanely protective over her son.

"Where are we now, anyway?" he asked.

The mists cleared and Tootie stepped forward. Her mouth dropped. They were in Fairy World, but what a different world it was. Timmy jerked and she steadied him. Without looking, she knew his mouth had dropped too.

Dark and gloomy, Fairy World had swollen storm clouds obliterating the sun. Destitute faeries roamed the streets until thugs, with scars on their faces and square heads, chased them off with black star wands. They floated wearing grey business suits and, for a second, Tootie heard Timmy think about pixies. Yet there were no cones atop their heads, and they moved swiftly their assigned paths. They didn't appear to breathe and Tootie shuddered, disturbed and wishing they had magic aside from the transistor. Jorgen had bent the rules- their faeries were at their beck and call should they need them, but that too came with a price- they'd have to bring the little ones as well.

Every house had bars on its windows and doors, and all houses looked forbidding. None of the usual magic clung to Fairy World- instead; they felt walled off from it, excluded. The world's centerpiece, the giant star, was missing. Tootie stared and Timmy yanked her around, to gawk at something else. Chills ran down her spine.

"Humans," one of the male faeries spat. "How did you get here? Where are your godparents?"

"Not here, that's for sure," Timmy said. "Who the heck are you?"

"I'll deal with them," an austere and intimately familiar voice said. Hair hanging loose and pink eyes harsh enough to sear through them, Wanda floated ahead of the pack. Unlike the others, she had a dull crown atop her head (the others had no crowns at all) and her ears were rounded, whereas her pack had pointed ears. She wore black and her wand had light elements, like she might have originally started with good intentions. Tootie stared.

"We should send 'em back to Earth with a lesson for whatever stupid faerie sent 'em back up here," the same man snapped. She inclined her head, but her eyes widened.

"Timmy Turner," she said.

"Wait, you recognize me?" Timmy said. "How can you be my faerie godmother in this dimension if you're, you know…"

"The Mafia Princess?" Wanda laughed harshly. "I'm not a faerie godmother. I don't grant wishes, unless they're death wishes. But why would Cosmo send you up here?"

"How do you know who I am if you're not my godmother?" Timmy demanded.

Wanda frowned. "We make it a policy to know which faeries are stranded on Earth as faerie godparents. A long time ago, when Jorgen ruled, he established godparents. Then I came along…"

She smiled again, a cruel smile, and Tootie flinched. Wanda inspected her, but her gaze returned to Timmy. Timmy narrowed her eyes at Wanda, so like his godmother and so not, and Timmy's mind had gone from this universe's Wanda to his own, thinking of where he had last left his godparents, cooing over their son. Tootie's mind hadn't drifted. It seemed this Wanda, like the last she had encountered, posed a significant threat.

"You rule Fairy World now," Tootie completed.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Wanda said. "I have for over nine thousand years. No faeries are allowed to return once they've left…and the faeries stranded on Earth who have begun to hate humans broke off to live underground. I believe they call their world 'Haven', but no matter. You two should not be here. I should give you a warning, but…"

Her eyes lingered on Timmy. "I know your godfather."

"How did Cosmo get to be a godparent when he's incompetent without you?" Timmy said.

Wanda stared. "…I don't know what you're talking about." Tootie stared too. It looked like Wanda really was lost. She mulled it over, shrugged, and drummed her fingers on her wand.

"I'll send you back to Cosmo, then," she said and contemplated Tootie. "I really don't know who you are, but I suppose you must know about faeries or you wouldn't be here. You can go back with him."

"Wait," Timmy said. "We're here because of Jorgen. We have to stay."

"I find that highly implausible," Wanda said and a smile flitted across her face. "Big Daddy imprisoned him over nine thousand years ago, after he accidentally killed my sister."

Timmy and Tootie did a double take. Wanda waved her wand and a bright yellow light consumed their vision. Warmth spread along their bodies and they heard Wanda's final benediction.

"Say hello to Cosmo for me."

* * *

"You lied," a cold voice declared from the shadows. "You deceived him."

Dressed in black, with a hint of violet, a raven-haired girl examined Wanda. In another universe, her hair might have been bound in pigtails. It flowed freely down her back here, and black robes reached her ankles. Her hood was thrown back and a half crown pulsated, delineating her status. Her purple eyes scanned the perimeter and she balled her fists, one hand around her wand. The girl was half human, already six inches taller than Wanda, and would probably grow to be a foot taller. She had a heart shaped face and though her gaze was cold, it was nowhere near the other faerie's frigidity.

"I did what was necessary," Wanda said. "You have no right to judge me."

"If the others see you, they'll realize you were too lenient with a human," Tootie said. "You can't afford leniency."

"Don't lecture me," Wanda scoffed. She floated back to HQ with Tootie walking alongside her. Sure, she could transport herself there instantly, but then she might cause the others to think she was overly reliant on magic. Besides, Tootie was being impudent and required a reprimand.

"Why should it matter to you whether he lives or dies?" Tootie continued. "He's a human."

"He intrigues me," she replied. "He thinks he can bend the rules and visit Fairy World, when no human has had the right for thousands of years."

"No, he intrigues you because you've been forbidden to see Cosmo," Tootie said and Wanda slapped her across the face. Surprised, she held her cheek and tongue.

"It has nothing to do with that, _child_," she snarled. "Big Daddy had his reasons to erect that spell, and besides, his parents were traitors. He was lucky to be exiled, rather than murdered like his family."

"Then why was he allowed to have a godchild?" Tootie asked. A faerie with grubby half gloves, soot all over his face, a tattered hat and clothing, held out his hands entreating Wanda to grant him favor. She narrowed her eyes and ignored him.

"Princess!" the faerie said and she whirled, hand flying to her wand at her waist.

"You dare address me, commoner?" Wanda snapped.

The faerie whipped out a wand and blasted a spell at Tootie. Whether he meant to stun or kill her apprentice, Wanda knew not, but white-hot rage rose. She blocked the attack with ease and conjured an angry wolf snapping its teeth at the male faerie's throat. With a wave of her wand, she sent the rogue wand flying to Tootie's feet and the girl pocketed it. The male faerie backed up and Wanda was pleased to see sweat trickling down his neck.

"That girl's filth," the faerie spat. "She's a half breed and you know it. She should have been killed like the others."

Out of the corner of her eye, Tootie stroked the wand at her waist. "Should I, Master?"

"No," Wanda said. "This is my punishment to mete out first, and then you may have your turn."

"Your father would never have allowed this," the faerie swore. Wanda scoffed and permitted the wolf to nip at the male's neck. She conjured another wolf behind him and smirked at his whimper. She held the wand level out in front of her.

"Repeat what you said," she said. The male whimpered again and fell silent. Wanda snarled, eyes blazing. "Repeat it or you will be torn apart right now!"

"I…I beg your pardon, Princess! Spare my pathetic life!" the faerie pleaded. He groveled and the wolves continued to snap at his neck. Tears formed and she'd almost think him too pitiful to kill, but he'd offered grave insult to Tootie. Wanda could not let such insubordination pass with merely a threat to tide him over.

"As far as you are concerned," Wanda said, her voice dripping venom, "Tootie is my flesh and blood. You insult her, you insult _me_."

Tootie gasped, startled, and Wanda waved her off. She had not told her the circumstances of her birth- from Tootie's earliest memories, she had been with Wanda. She thought it best the girl never knew. Perhaps, deep down, she cared for her.

"Please spare me! Please, Princess! I'm sorry! Tootie, I'm sorry!" he groveled and Wanda scoffed, allowing a wolf to bite off his ear. He screamed, blood streaming down his neck, and exposed bone showing on the side of his head. Tootie flinched and Wanda stepped back to stroke Tootie's hand. Tootie's eyes widened.

"Tell me what fate befits a slanderer," Wanda said and smirked. "Tell me your fate so I may arrange it."

"No, please! Please! Mercy, Wanda-"the faerie said and Wanda shuddered like she had been struck. She raised her wand and the wolves disappeared. Tootie stared at her.

"How do you know my true name?" she said. The faerie trembled, lips quaking, and Wanda grimaced, restoring his ear. He had scarcely a moment to appreciate it when she hoisted him into the air above their heads and bounced him violently, careening him into the ground and back again. He squeaked and she narrowed her eyes.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"Mother, perhaps he only overheard it," Tootie murmured.

Normally, Wanda would chastise Tootie for mentioning a familial relationship in public. In public, they were master and apprentice. In private, Wanda permitted her to think otherwise. As it was, she was too shocked by her true name slipping out of a pauper. She advanced, allowing the wand to strangle him while he decided whether or not to tell them.

"I heard it from your father!" the faerie squeaked and Wanda let him drop.

"Impossible," she said coldly. "My father has been dead for two thousand years."

"He's alive," the faerie said. "Scan my mind if you don't believe me!"

"I shall," Wanda said. "And once I'm finished with you, I have a couple hungry wolves who would love to gnaw on fresh faerie."

The faerie whimpered and Wanda zoomed toward him, since she needed to be in physical contact to initiate the mind reading. The male's faerie mind was boorish, and she skimmed through unneeded material. Faerie uprising again, she knew where to squash it and the plans were already in motion; indignation at Tootie for existing, which was hardly a new sentiment but brazen to be admitted aloud; and, finally, what she sought. Big Daddy, leaner than before, floated in a location she didn't recognize. There were trees there, for one thing, and normal animals. There weren't normal animals in Fairy World. In fact, the only animals there were happened to be ones faeries introduced, who were magical themselves. A sick swooping feeling entered Wanda's stomach. She thought she knew what this place was, even if she hadn't been there in thousands of years.

Wanda disliked Earth. Humans had ruined it, for one thing, and, for another, it had been where Jorgen had killed Blonda, breaking the rudimentary Bond between them and severing most of Wanda's sanity with it. As a result of Jorgen's mishap, a psychiatrist would probably classify her as a sociopath, but she wasn't entirely. There was a way to get through, she just…

Her wand slipped through her fingers. In a flash, she had seen Tootie's father, cocky and egotistical as always, alive and well. He was supposed to be dead. She had ordered his execution years ago, as a result of fathering Tootie. He had only done it to get Wanda's attention, which was why the daughter continued to live, even if the father was supposed to be gone. She had ordered one of her higher ups to do it, and he had faltered. She would have to remedy this.

Except…she didn't want to go to Earth. Just thinking about it brought bile to her throat. She released the faerie and recoiled, into Tootie. Tootie caught her; the male faerie was unconscious, blood trickling out of his mouth.

"Mother?" Tootie inquired. "Mother, are you all right?"

Wanda allowed herself to linger in the girl's arms. Should she return to Earth, she might face mutiny. The exiled faeries would not take kindly to her arrival, even if she had infinitely more power than them. Wanda turned in Tootie's arms and stepped away, leveling a cool glance at her.

"I cannot trust an envoy," she said. "But…"

"But what?" Tootie pressed.

She sighed and inhaled shakily. Waving her wand, she conjured up the dogs and then brought them a couple blocks closer to their destination. She feared her legs wouldn't support walking much further. Tootie kept up easily and maintained her own counsel, which was good, except Wanda didn't want her to hold back out of fear or awe. She had to not think about the terror enveloping her upon returning to Earth. She gave Tootie a meaningful look and Tootie relaxed.

"What did you see?" she asked.

"Far too much," Wanda said and, exhaling shakily, proceeded to tell her as much as she felt comfortable mentioning.

* * *

They landed in a heap in alternate Timmy's bedroom. Tootie groaned, rolling off Timmy, who had naturally cushioned her fall. It took her a few seconds to adjust to the sudden change in scenery.

"Oh, no, two Timmys!" Cosmo cried and she looked up. He was paler than normal, and his hair color was off. Instead of being bright green, like usual, it was closer to teal, and his eyes had less warmth. Aside from that, he was his usual self and waved his wand to put them on the bed, only he ended up slamming them into the wall instead.

"Ugh," Timmy groaned. "Different universe, same old Cosmo."

"What am I going to tell me my Timmy when he finds out there's another Timmy?" Cosmo said. "Unless he wished for it and I don't remember…"

He banged his fist into his head. "I wish I was married to someone smart who keeps track of all this stuff. Oh, oh no, I left the zebra in the garden again."

"Do I want to know?" Timmy said. Cosmo zoomed to the window, disappeared, and Tootie turned to him.

"Probably not," she said.

Cosmo reappeared a moment later with the zebra in the room and Tootie slapped a palm to her forehead. "Should we be glad it's not an elephant?"

The door opened and Timmy, Tootie, and Cosmo jumped. The zebra gnawed on the alternate Timmy's bedspread and ignored them. Framed in the doorway, Tootie had her first glimpse of this universe's Timmy. His pink hat had black stripes and he wore a cream pink sweatshirt with black pants. His hair was longer, down to his shoulders, and he radiated danger, rather like the alternate Timmy who had schooled with Lorenzo. However, this seemed more a conditioned reflex than a battle stance, and he relaxed upon seeing himself and Cosmo.

"Cosmo, what did you do now?" he said. Tootie pegged his age to be about fourteen, which would make him the same age as them.

"I didn't do anything!" he said. "I swear! They fell from the ceiling!"

"Uh huh," Timmy said. "Why is there a zebra in the room?"

"You said you wanted a, uh…" Cosmo frowned, trying to remember.

"It's not his fault," Tootie chimed in. "Okay, yeah, the zebra is, but we're not. We're from another universe."

The alternate universe Timmy stared. "Are you sure Cosmo didn't poof you up?"

Tootie smiled. "Positive."

Alternate Timmy rolled his eyes. "I know me, but who the heck are you?"

She and her Timmy exchanged a look. "You don't know who I am?"

"No…should I?" alternate Timmy said. He sighed and tugged on the zebra to keep him from eating his bedspread. "I wish the zebra was gone."

Cosmo held up his wand and the zebra disappeared, replaced by a rhino. Alternate Timmy slapped a palm to his forehead. Judging by the long-suffering look, he was accustomed to Cosmo's difficulties. "And that was gone too."

The rhino vanished and nothing appeared in its stead. Alternate Timmy and Cosmo relaxed. Alternate Timmy bounced onto his bed and flung his backpack off. He folded his arms across his chest and stared at Tootie. Tootie stared back and her Timmy scrutinized the room.

"You didn't answer my question," alternate Timmy said.

"I'm Tootie," she said. "Are you sure you don't know who I am? Vicky's little sister? Ring any bells?"

"Vicky's an only child," he answered. "She's never had a sister."

"Looks like you don't exist here," her Timmy said and Tootie resisted the urge to smack him. She missed Cal and Daniela. It was odd to have Timmy here and not her faeries. Folding her arms across her chest, she approached alternate Timmy, who frowned.

"You don't go into Fairy World often, do you?" she said.

"Fairy World?" Cosmo said and flinched. "We're not allowed there. That's how…" He stopped talking and his eyes widened.

Alternate Timmy shrugged. "Fairy World's not that much fun, anyway. It's run by a dictator called the Mafia Princess who makes all the other faeries miserable while she stamps out any magical competitors. She was supposed to make sure no one noticed the magic on Earth, but she barely touches Earth now."

"Mafia Princess?" her Timmy echoed. "You mean Wanda?"

" 'Wanda'?" alternate Timmy said. "I've never heard that name."

"I have," Cosmo said. He looked out the window, drifted away, landed on Timmy's bed, and floated away again. "She doesn't like people to use it. It's her 'true name'."

The three humans exchanged puzzled looks. In unison, they said, "What's a true name?"

"It's a name only faeries have," Cosmo said. "If you use it, no matter where the faerie is, they'll hear it." He swallowed hard. "And if you use it and know what they're really like, you can control them."

"So all we have to do is get back to Fairy World and call her 'Wanda'," Timmy said, smiling happily. "That's one easy mission."

"It's never that easy," Tootie sneered. "Don't get cocky."

"If other faeries know her 'true name'," alternate Timmy said, "then how come none of them have been able to take her down?"

"The Mafia Princess keeps her real self locked under layers of ice," Cosmo said. "And she's been insane for thousands of years…"

"But you knew her when she wasn't," Timmy pointed out. "How else do you know her real name?"

Cosmo flushed and stared at the floor. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"It could be important," our Timmy said. "How bad could it be?"

Tootie slapped a palm to her forehead. She thought, but didn't say, _you were molested repeatedly by your anti faerie, killed him, Wanda brought him back, and you're still haunted by him. You have no right to ask that. Ever._

"Wanda's father killed my parents," Cosmo said and shook uncontrollably. He swallowed hard and hugged himself. Alternate Timmy touched his shoulder and Cosmo flung himself at him. Timmy cradled him and sat on the bed with him on his lap. He looked up accusingly at his counterpart.

"I wish we knew the story," our Timmy said stubbornly. Tootie sighed.

"What?" he said. "It could help."

"Yeah, if Cosmo doesn't have a nervous breakdown telling it," she shot back.

"I've never told anybody," he said. He looked at his hands and alternate Timmy glared at them. His fists balled and he hugged Cosmo tighter.

"What are you trying to do to him?" he snapped.

"We haven't exactly told you why we're here," Tootie said. "Our version of Fairy World sent us to fix things and, in all likelihood, dethrone Wanda. It'll restore magical balance."

"If she can hear us every time we use her name, we should probably stop using it," alternate Timmy said. "And what makes you so sure you can fix things? Or that you'd _want _to?"

"We'll help," Tootie promised. She rummaged in her pocket- today she was wearing red pants with plastic pears on the pockets, and retrieved the transistor. It changed from its normal dormant state to an aerosol can releasing a mild sedative. Our Timmy's eyes narrowed and Tootie shuddered, responding to his distress. It reminded him of Lorenzo and she could tell part of him still wanted to flee the room thinking about him. She saw, for a few seconds, Lorenzo's hands roaming her beloved's body and he shoved away the memory. She gnawed her lip.

((Timmy?)) She sent.

"I'm okay," he said aloud. He shook and balled his fists in his pockets.

"What happened to _you_?" alternate Timmy asked.

"It's a long story and I don't wanna talk about it," he answered. Tootie kissed his cheek and Timmy flinched.

"Can you talk about it now?" alternate Timmy said, turning to Cosmo. Cosmo nodded.

"It happened about ten thousand years ago…"

* * *

Big Daddy waged a war against Jorgen and his loyalists. After Blonda's accidental death, Big Daddy had gone on the rampage, declaring there were two groups of faeries- those who would side with him against Jorgen, or those who needed to be killed. Anyone who didn't pick a side was, by default, on Jorgen's side and had to be murdered. Jorgen, understanding Blonda's death had unhinged the mafia don, had tried reaching out to him and consoling him. He felt deeply guilty over what he'd done, but Big Daddy wouldn't hear of it. He ruthlessly targeted anyone who dared agree with Jorgen or told Big Daddy Blonda's death was an accident. Big Daddy had already warped the event in his mind to homicide. Nothing Jorgen or anyone else could say would convince Big Daddy otherwise.

Big Daddy had lost his wife, Blonda's mother, a few months earlier. In his time of grief, he'd become close to a young family, with a child named Cosmo. Big Daddy had no real opinion on Cosmo, but Mama Cosma had been a godsend in his darkest moments and her husband had always been around to watch Blonda. (At the time, no one knew Wanda existed, let alone was hidden away).

However, one night, the friendship had started to tear asunder…

"The world isn't against you, Big Daddy," Mama Cosma. "You can't take on Jorgen and expect to win."

"He killed my daughter!" he snapped. "He deserves whatever punishment he gets."

"But…" Mama Cosma hesitated. "Blonda wasn't your only child…"

He glared. "I thought we agreed we weren't going to talk about her twin."

"We…we aren't…" Mama Cosma said and smiled weakly. "But you have to think about her emotional wellbeing. If you keep waging these wars, Wanda will-"

He grabbed his wand. "I told you not to talk about her."

Mama Cosma trembled. "All- all I'm trying- trying to say is you still have someone left. You- you have to put your vengeance aside. Jorgen- Jorgen is the leader of Fairy World for a _reason_."

"To murder small children!" Big Daddy roared. "If you're not on my side, you're with him!"

"No, no, I'm not!" she said. "I'm saying as a parent, you're hurting your daughter-"

"Don't tell me what I'm doing," he snarled. "Wanda's perfectly fine."

"Then how come no one's seen her since Blonda's death?" she said. She grabbed her wand too.

"That's none of your business," he snapped. "I don't like your tone. I think you're conspiring with Jorgen."

"I'm not!" she said. "I'm still on your side."

"Good," he said and lowered his wand. "We wouldn't want anything unpleasant to happen, would we?"

She swallowed hard and he smirked.

"That's right."

* * *

Twenty years passed. Big Daddy retained Cosmo's parents as his closest advisors, but he still didn't trust them. Spending long hours with the mafia don planning how to conquer Fairy World and defeat Jorgen occupied their time. They never noticed Cosmo looking for one peaceful area among the warzones. Today, Cosmo was following a butterfly, which led him to a weirdly locked room in Big Daddy's house, which led him down stairs and then to a basement, which was covered in pink. There, he stopped, having lost the butterfly but found something more interesting.

The basement had a four-poster bed pressed up against the far wall, along with bookshelves covering the walls and a fire grate in the middle. On the floor, there was a soft pink rug, but Cosmo stopped looking around at that point. (The basement seemed the biggest room in the house, and yet, strangely enclosed, like a trap). He floated near to the bed, where a figure was curled in a ball and sobbing hysterically.

"Hey," he said and conjured up a butterfly. It fluttered around her head. "Why are you crying?"

"Who…who are _you_?" she said and recoiled into the pillows. Her pink eyes were huge and curls framed her face perfectly. Her lips were soft and sweet looking- Cosmo thought he'd never seen a more beautiful faerie in his life. He landed on the bed a few inches away and smiled at her.

"My name's Cosmo," he said. "What's yours?"

"Daddy…" she swallowed hard and cleared her throat.

"Daddy?" he repeated. "That's a weird name for a girl."

She smiled through her tears. "No. I was going to say, Daddy told me not to tell anyone my name."

"Why not?" he said. "What's wrong with telling people your name?"

Her tears abated and she held up her wand to clear her cheeks. He wanted to hold her, which was strange because he'd never felt that way toward another faerie before. Suddenly, he wanted to make her smile again and be happy. It seemed a tragedy for such a beautiful faerie to be so miserable.

"Daddy says I'm a secret weapon," she said and grabbed a pillow to hug to her chest.

"What?" he said. "Is crying a weapon?"

She looked at him strangely and laughed. Her laugh was rusty, like she'd never done it before. He grinned at her and she laughed again, lowering the pillow. There were no more hints of tears and he was pleased, though he wasn't sure what he'd done.

"I'll tell you my name again, if it'll help," he said.

"No, I think I got it the first time," she said and smiled. "Daddy doesn't let me talk to other faeries. You're the first faerie my age I've seen since Blonda-"

She stopped and the smile slipped away. Cosmo's heart pounded in his chest. He didn't want her to stop. He had to think of something.

"So…" he said and bounced on the bed, grabbing a pillow. "You've never had a pillow fight?"

"Not with a boy," she said. He smacked her in the face and she shrieked, outraged. She grabbed the other pillow and smacked him with it. Soon, feathers flew and he couldn't see anything but pink and white down. They started laughing and, worn out from amusement and smacking each other, they collapsed on the bed. She curled into a ball and held her stomach. Cosmo tucked a stray curl back behind her ear.

"I like you," she said. "I guess…I guess if you don't…"

"If I don't what?" he said and she gnawed her lip.

"Daddy said I'm not allowed to tell anyone my name, that it would give people power over me," she said.

"So?" Cosmo said. "I'd never hurt you."

"And I bet you can go where you want, do what you want, be who you want," she said and stared at him earnestly. "I'd like to do that."

"You can," he said and grinned. "You can come with me."

"Big Daddy wouldn't like it," she said and gulped. He beamed and she touched his face. "I can't believe you're real."

"Just as real as you," he said. "Or that butterfly. I wonder what happened to the one I was chasing. I hope it didn't run into a wall."

"I'll…I'll go with you," she said and swallowed again. "But you have to promise me one thing."

"What?" he said. He was ready to promise her the moon to make her smile.

"Don't get caught," she said. "I don't want Big Daddy to hurt you."

"Okay," he said. It seemed an easy promise to make and she relaxed. "I promise."

"Okay," she said and flashed him a quick grin. "Then let's go."


	8. Bonus Round: No Good Deed

Part Two: No Good Deed

They had to travel far and wide to evade battle, but Cosmo knew where to go. He led her by the hand and noticed how her eyes lingered on every new scene. He finally decided on a crystal cavern, where rainbow fragments dazzled his eyes. She hadn't told him her name yet, and she was skittish around other faeries, even when they weren't close enough to interact. By now, he'd deduced Big Daddy was her father and Blonda her sister, although he hadn't known Blonda had a twin. His parents might have known something, but Cosmo wasn't smart enough to pick up on cues.

Once inside the cavern, she gazed up and gasped, breath catching in her throat. "Oh, Cosmo, it's gorgeous."

"It reminded me of you," he said. She turned her head.

"How?" she said. She'd tucked her wand into her black pants and he loved the way they hugged her hips. In fact, he loved everything about her.

"They're stuck where no one can see them," he said. "And I dunno…they make me happy, like you do."

"You don't even know my name," she chided.

"I don't have to," he said. "I can tell who you are."

"And who is that?" she answered.

Cosmo didn't have the words for it. Instead, he conjured up a flower and handed it to her. The flower bloomed slowly and he fumbled with it. She inhaled the scent and then flung her arms around him. Hands shaking, he moved toward her and she jumped back.

"I'm sorry," she said. "No one's ever given me a flower before. But Daddy says I shouldn't expect anything out of strangers."

"But what do you say?" he said.

"You're not a stranger to me," she said. She inclined her head toward the deeper caverns. "Let's explore."

She held the flower tightly and Cosmo smiled. She didn't smile back, but he knew she was pleased.

* * *

Sneaking out became a regular occurrence. Big Daddy's preoccupation prevented him from checking up on his only daughter and Cosmo was bored. She was always up for escaping, though she hadn't told him her name yet and it'd been three months. Cosmo was patient. He knew she'd tell him, because she was starting to trust him. And he was starting to fall for her.

She didn't treat him like the others did. Where they mocked and derided, she was calm and loving. True, she had strange moments where she retreated into herself and Cosmo couldn't follow, but the longer he knew her, the more seldom these moments became. She didn't want to hide when he was around. Likewise, Cosmo didn't want to lose her to the demons in her head.

One day, about four months into their relationship, they went to Earth. He doubted she'd been there before- she had never mentioned it. He'd blindfolded her and brought her here, so she could see the real, non-magical rainbows of which he was so fond, and feel grass beneath their feet. He loved Earth, because it represented freedom and release. He thought she'd love it too.

"Okay," he said. "I'm gonna take the blindfold off."

He removed it and she flinched. "Cosmo, where are we?"

"Earth!" he said. "Don't you love it? It smells so fresh and clear, and you can hear the running water and the animals and-"

He paused. She shook and her wand slipped. Blanching, she sank to the ground. Befuddled, he followed suit.

"We have to go back."

"What? Why? Mama Cosma, Big Daddy, and my dad won't notice us for hours," he said. "And isn't it great here? It's my favorite place to go and not think!"

"Blonda…" she inhaled shakily. Her sister's name seldom passed her lips. "Jorgen kill-killed her _here_. We have to go back."

"I don't understand," he said. "It's a big planet. And besides, it was an accident."

"Daddy doesn't think so…" she said and hugged herself. "But I _saw _it."

"You were there?" he said, frowning. He touched her shoulder, and that seemed to be okay, so he hugged her. She stared at the ground glumly.

"Jorgen was exterminating the dragons that roam Earth on occasion and this one…it was impervious to magic," she said. She looked up at Cosmo's incomprehension. "They didn't used to be, you know. Faeries could kill them a long time ago."

He didn't speak. He sensed she needed to say this and hadn't been able to ever since her sister's death.

"Big Daddy took us to see the dragon, since he wanted us to know what faeries were capable of. The wand went off and, like I said, the spell rebounded. It- it- it hit Blonda by accident."

"But…it was an accident," Cosmo repeated. "And Earth is a big planet. Just like Fairy World. Just because one thing happened somewhere here doesn't mean anything bad is going to happen to you now. I'll protect you."

She smiled weakly. "You'll protect me?"

"Yeah, but first you have to tell me your name," he said. She smirked.

"Nice try," she said. "But thanks for listening." She swallowed hard and he squeezed her against him. "I appreciate it. Now let's go home."

"You don't wanna stay?" he said. "But I have so much to show you!"

"Maybe another time," she said. She inclined her head. "Do you promise not to repeat what I said? Daddy would be really upset if he knew I thought it was an accident too…"

"I promise," he said. "I haven't told anyone about you yet, have I?"

"No," she said and pecked him on the cheek. "You haven't."

"I love you," he blurted. She stared.

"You don't even know my name," she said.

"I still love you," he said. "I dream about you. I wanna take you away from Big Daddy and make you happy."

"You already make me happy," she said and stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. "I'll tell you my name soon. I promise."

* * *

"Either you've suddenly decided to trust me," Tootie said, turning to her surrogate mother. "Or you're going to kill me."

"I'd never kill you," Wanda said. They were within Wanda's innermost chamber, which had a few green items tucked in among the black. The bedposts were iron and, as Tootie knew, capable of being snapped off. Wanda's entire bedroom could double as an armory. At the moment, curtains hung over the windows and blocked out the sun. The ominous wooden chest near her bed held more weapons, and a towering bookcase filled the entire opposite wall. It was filled with dark magic books.

"You let me you call you 'Mother' in front of him," Tootie said.

"I was upset," Wanda replied. "And you are my daughter, are you not?"

"I didn't think I was," Tootie said. "I thought I was a straggling you'd picked up."

Wanda's gaze chilled. "Would you like me to continue my story, or have you already decided how I feel?"

"Continue," Tootie said, shuddering. Wanda touched her shoulder.

"You know my true name," she said. "Precious few know that. Remember that."

* * *

"I have chosen your new suitor," Big Daddy said. "He is worthy of you."

Wanda, in the middle of looking at the seashells Cosmo had picked out for her, stowed them in a box and shoved it under her bed. Big Daddy hadn't noticed. He nodded to the air and a Hispanic faerie popped out of nowhere. Wanda surveyed him and compared him to Cosmo. He was more attractive than her friend, and he radiated self-control, whereas Cosmo had power everywhere and no way to channel it.

"His name is…"

"My name is Juandissimo Magnifico," the faerie said and grabbed her hand. He kissed it and smiled at her. "And yours is?"

"I don't think I should tell you," she huffed. "You're a stranger."

"When you've earned the right to know it, you'll know it," her father said, approving.

"Then I shall make it my goal to know your name," Juandissimo said. Wanda rolled her eyes. Oh, brother.

* * *

A year passed since Cosmo had first met her and, taking him completely by surprise, she appeared in his bedroom. He pinched himself, yelped, and she smiled at him. She settled on his bed and pinched him too.

"There," she said. "I bet your dreams don't do that."

"Not usually," he said. "Are you going to turn into pudding?"

"What kind?" she teased, playing along. "Rice? Chocolate? Vanilla? Wanda?"

"Wanda?" he said. "I've never heard of that flavor."

She leaned forward and kissed him. "What do you think? How does a Wanda taste?"

"It's kinda sweet," he said. He licked his lips and smiled. "It tastes like peach, but a little sour too.

I've never had it before. I'd like it again."

"Tonight's your lucky night. It's all the Wanda you can eat."

"Really?" he bounced up and down and she grinned.

"You have to promise me something," she said.

"Anything," he said. He'd never broken a promise.

"You have to help me find a place to hide," she said. He stared.

"Don't you already do that?" he said.

"No," she said and shook her head. "Not like that. I need a place to hide from Big Daddy, a place with _you_. And a place especially far away from Juandissimo."

Her eyes narrowed and her expression darkened; he whimpered. She softened and kissed him again. Cosmo's heart jumped into his throat- he couldn't believe his luck. He pinched himself and she rested her forehead against his.

"I can do that," he said.

"Daddy's staged a coup to get Jorgen tonight," she said. "It has to be tonight. If we wait-"

"Then don't wait," he said. He grabbed his wand off the nightstand and kissed her on the lips. "Wanda's the best flavor I've ever had."

"I love you," she said in a rush and he grinned.

"I love you too," he said. "Let's go."

* * *

"It sounds like you two were in love," our Tootie commented. "What went wrong?"

"I don't know," Cosmo said. "She told me my parents were dead, and then…Big Daddy kept her away. When she ruled Fairy World, she barely even looked at me. I still…"

He looked down at his hands. "I still love her."

"A monster?" alternate Timmy scoffed.

"Stranger things have happened," Tootie said.

"I'd love her no matter what," Cosmo said. "She's my second half."

* * *

Big Daddy yanked her away from Cosmo not long after they'd settled in an abandoned district in Fairy World. In a dark room, his eyes and wand glowed ominously. Her throat constricted and she still remembered Cosmo's touch, his feathery and hesitant gestures. He was awkward, but willing to please. He was the sweetest faerie she'd ever met.

It didn't matter if he was an idiot. He wasn't conceited or determined to turn her into a conquest like Juandissimo. Though she hadn't meant to tell him so soon, she had fallen in love with Cosmo.

"You know who I found with Jorgen tonight?" Big Daddy snapped. "Who was supposed to be on _my _side?"

"I…I don't know…" she said.

"Mama Cosma and her husband!" Big Daddy snapped. "If we hadn't had a backup plan, they would have escaped. They're _traitors_."

"Daddy…" she swallowed hard. "Don't you think this should stop? It wasn't- it wasn't Jorgen's fault."

"I'm going to kill them," he continued, ignoring her. "And then I'll kill their son."

"NO!" she screamed. Big Daddy stared at her and tears pricked the insides of her eyes. "Daddy, please. Leave Cosmo alone."

"I didn't know you knew their son," Big Daddy said and whirled on her. "I was under the impression the only faerie you knew intimately was me. Unless something's been happening right under my nose and you didn't tell me?"

Wanda trembled. "Please, Daddy. Don't hurt him. Don't hurt any of them. It's not their fault. It was an accident. Please, Daddy-"

"Maybe I should kill their son first and reenact Jorgen's 'accident'," he snapped.

"Kill me instead!" she said and he stared.

"What?" he said, completely stunned.

"Don't hurt Cosmo," she pleaded. "I'll do anything you want. Spare him. Even if- even if you have to kill his parents, spare Cosmo. I love-"

She gulped. "I love him."

"You've been sneaking around, haven't you?" he growled. "My own daughter, fraternizing with the enemy."

"There are no enemies," she said quietly, backing up. "It's all in your head, Daddy."

"You've been brainwashed!" he snapped. "Fine. I'll spare your precious Cosmo, if he's so important. But you'll never see him again. And after I show you what I do with Jorgen's sympathizers, I'll bring you over my way of thinking."

Wanda grabbed her wand and he shorted it out. "Cosmo is not blood. _I _am. You do not betray blood, Wanda."

He held up his wand and summoned Cosmo's parents . Big Daddy had been circumspect before, never letting her see his brutal onslaught. Today, she wished she could have rendered herself deaf and blind.

* * *

"Do you love him?" Tootie asked gently. Wanda was sitting Indian style on her bed and Tootie sat nearby. It was surprisingly comfortable, despite looking like it belonged in a crypt.

"After a while, it stopped mattering. Daddy raised me to rule Fairy World in his stead and ever since then, I haven't had much time to think about it," she said. Her gaze was distant.

Tootie wasn't certain whether to prod or not. Wanda was normally a closed book. She stared and Wanda rested her head on a pillow. She twirled the wand between her fingers and sighed.

"Do you still think it was an accident?" Tootie said, wondering if Wanda had heard her when she could barely hear herself.

"I don't know. I know I used to believe with all my heart Jorgen wasn't the kind of monster my father was- is," she said, sighing.

"But then…" Tootie stopped and Wanda smiled bitterly.

"We have to go to Earth," she said. "As much as I hate it."

* * *

"So where do we go?" Tootie said. "Back to Fairy World?"

"There's a faerie enclave in Ireland," Cosmo said. "We could go there."

"Why?" alternate Timmy said. "What's the point?"

"Why can't we just call her by her name and take her down that way?" our Timmy said. Tootie sighed.

"Because the only person who knows what she's really like would have to be someone who's really close to her," Cosmo said. "And I can't think of anyone."

"It sounds like we'll have to do snooping around," Tootie said, "to figure out what our next move should be."

"It also sounds like we're gonna need Cosmo, Wanda, Cal, and Daniela," our Timmy said. "Since you don't think my plan is going to work."

"The transistors could probably cloak us," Tootie said.

"Transistor," Timmy corrected. "Lorenzo-" he stopped and blanched, "The Other has the second one."

"I assume you're going to explain all of this," alternate Timmy said.

((Timmy, if we bring Cosmo and Wanda here, they'll have to bring Poof. Same for Cal and Daniela.))

((The transistor can't cover all of us.))

((You don't know that.))

((I know I'd feel more comfortable having my godparents around.)) He thrust his lower lip out defiantly.

((And I'd feel less comfortable putting their kid at risk. You know how protective Cosmo and Wanda are over Poof. They'd kill anyone who tried to hurt him.))

((A transistor isn't gonna do much against someone in Jorgen's league.))

((You'd be surprised.))

"What are you guys doing?" alternate Timmy said. "You look like you're talking without opening your mouths."

"We have the transistor and we have Cosmo," Tootie said resolutely. "We'll call the others as a last resort."

"You can't stop me from calling them," our Timmy said, sullen.

"Think about how heartbroken they'd be if Poof died," she shot back. "Then tell me how eager you are to call them."

Timmy muttered darkly.

* * *

Earth's air hit her like a physical wave and Wanda crumpled. It was easy to track her father's magical signature once she'd gotten here, but she couldn't stand. Terror overwhelmed her and her stomach convulsed. Pushing away from Tootie, she vomited and collapsed. Tootie grabbed her wand, cleaned it up, and propped Wanda up. She ignored her progeny and scanned the perimeter. Blonda had been killed not far from here. The faint death magic radiated from a cave nearby and Wanda swallowed back bile. She did not want to be sick again. The illness rendered her weak and vulnerable. Why would her father be here?

The compulsion to stay away from Cosmo was less here and she saw his face in her mind's eye. She hadn't actually laid eyes upon him in thousands of years. She cleared out her mouth and heard Tootie's question in her mind again. But it wasn't important. Cosmo belonged to the past and she lived in the present.

"Are you going to be okay?" Tootie asked.

"No," Wanda said. She grimaced. "You're going to have to carry me."

"Mother," Tootie said. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"While we're here, you must stop calling me that," Wanda snapped. "You are my apprentice and I am your master. Not your mother."

Tootie didn't speak the obvious, for which Wanda was grateful. Instead, she headed where the magical stream strengthened and Wanda's gorge rose. They had to stop for her to vomit. It didn't seem possible. Her father was in that cave. For a few seconds, she blacked out. The emotional rebound was too great and she clung to Tootie.

"We should go back," Tootie said. "You're not fit to travel."

"_Wanda, what's wrong? Why won't you look at me? Did I do something wrong?"_

"_Kill him! I didn't give you the reign to let him slide! I didn't give him a lifetime pardon!"_

Tootie shook her and she stared.

"We're going home," she declared. "You're barely conscious."

"No," Wanda snapped. "We're going in. I can handle this."

Tootie clamped her mouth shut and Wanda forced herself to stagger forward, into the horrendous cave. It looked exactly the same, sans the blood, and she was eternally grateful for Tootie's presence, though she'd never admit it.

Big Daddy was eating a steak on a floating table near the back. The cave had never been terrifically deep, and time hadn't changed it. Wanda kept seeing the spell hitting her sister and Blonda crumpling. Tootie prodded her in the back and Wanda inhaled shakily.

"You should be in Fairy World," Big Daddy said.

Wanda opened her mouth and nothing came out. For thousands of years, she'd planned what she'd say to her father and how the conversation would play out. Now, she had nothing. Her legs wouldn't support her and Tootie grabbed her. Wanda gulped.

"What are you doin' with this half breed?" Big Daddy asked.

"Is this what you wanted, Daddy?" Wanda said.

"You to hang around with a half breed, no," he said. Wanda shook her head. She sat on the floor and held Tootie's hand in her lap. Tootie was real, anchoring her to the present.

"Did you want me to become a power hungry dictator and hurt anyone who came near me?" she said. "Cosmo's still alive, by the way."

"You left that idiot alive?" Big Daddy snapped. "I told you to kill him to teach him a lesson!"

Wanda stared at him emotionlessly. "What if I told you I couldn't kill him? What if I told you every time I thought about it, something inside me froze up?"

"_I'll _kill him," he snapped.

"Where's Jorgen? Where did you stash him?" she asked.

"If he's not dead, then I don't know," Big Daddy said. "I told you to kill Cosmo."

"Why did you force me to take your place?" she snapped. "I'm nothing like you."

"You're exactly like me. You understand Jorgen murdered Blonda and anyone who disagrees deserves death," he retorted.

"I understand you destroyed everyone's lives and dragged me into your vengeance," she said. "For what, Daddy? Blonda's never coming back. You won't let me near Cosmo. And two worlds are miserable because of you."

"I helped."

She smiled coldly. "To destroy us all."

"But in end, you did exactly what I wanted," Big Daddy said.

For this, Wanda didn't have a snappy comeback. He was right. Whether she had wanted to or not, she had. Cosmo wasn't dead, but she wasn't certain anymore whether this was an indication she had a heart, or that she simply hadn't the gall to murder him. Tootie sat close to her and Wanda knew she couldn't kill her either. Was that love or weakness? She'd ruled Fairy World for so long she didn't know what the difference was anymore. She'd set out with good intentions…

The road to hell was paved with good intentions.

"You can have it back," she said. He smiled.

"You say that, but you'll never give it up. The power to rule is in your blood. Now, why is this irritant near you?"

"She's my daughter," Wanda snapped. Big Daddy stared at her, and then at Tootie. He raised his wand and Wanda raised hers. A spell ricocheted off the walls and Wanda snarled, knocking Tootie out of the way. She had an unsettling sense of déjà vu, thinking of her sister, and then heard a mental snap. Tootie panted beneath her and Big Daddy was gone in a cloud of pink faerie dust.

"Mother?" Tootie murmured. "Mother, are you okay?"

She had no clue.


	9. Bonus Round: Redo!

Bonus Round

Redo!

They arrived in Fairy World and Cosmo and alternate Timmy shivered; they had needed Cosmo's magic to arrive there, and Timmy had refused to abandon his godfather. The transistor cloaked them, transforming them from their normal forms into moving scenery. Even in her thoughts, Tootie was wary to mention Wanda by name, because she feared the power names had in this universe. Plus, Cosmo seemed downright petrified, although that wasn't a good gauge since Cosmo was petrified of Jorgen in her world and she didn't fear him at all.

The transistor allowed them to break cover, should Tootie choose it, but first she had to find a likely candidate. None of the freestanding faeries were willing to talk. Wanda's iron rule usually prevented any of them from speaking, lest they get attacked. From a warm, comfortable, happy place, Fairy World had transformed into an oppressive, depressing, fearful world like all the worlds The Other had ruled. None of the freestanding faeries had any hope the situation would change.

"This is getting us nowhere," her Timmy snarled. "We should call Cosmo and Wanda-"

"No," she snapped. She folded her arms across her chest. According to the street signs, they were near Penn and Teller streets. Since she hadn't spent extensive time in Fairy World, she had no idea where that was. "Maybe _I _should try, instead of you."

"You don't know Fairy World," he countered.

"No, but I have more experience on these missions than you do," she shot back. She held out the transistor to him and he didn't take it. His hands trembled and she realized the transistor might take on an unwanted shape in his hands.

"Cosmo," she said, imbuing her voice with authority and causing the fairy to stop in mid air and shudder, "can you hold this? I'm going to see if I can find someone who isn't afraid of their reflection."

The fairy gingerly took it and Tootie stepped outside the transistor's protective aura. Mustering her courage, she advanced on a small pub where Mama Cosma's house was in their world. As soon as she entered, the room went silent. Faeries at the bar stopped in mid drink, one faerie throwing darts missed the dart board and pegged the wall, and the bartender's glass fizzed over. Tootie forced a smile and a faerie with pointed ears ducked under a table. Ignoring the faint tremor in her limbs, she walked up to the bartender.

"You're getting beer all over your hands, you know," she said.

"Tootie!" the bartender gasped. He had bright red hair, scarlet eyes, and a five o'clock shadow. "Tootie, don't hurt me!"

((Looks like we found out where your counterpart went,)) Timmy said. ((Tootie's reign of terror.))

She ignored him. Hopping onto a stool and disregarding her discomfort (fear always rode high on these missions), she flipped up the tab to prevent the beer from spilling further onto the floor.

"I've decided to spare all of you," she said. "So you can all calm down."

Every faerie (aside from Cosmo, who hadn't been afraid in the first place) heaved a sigh of relief. The tension fizzled away, although they gave her wary looks. The faerie that had shot the wall retrieved his dart and tried again. Gradually, conversation returned, a low murmur as if afraid Tootie might change her mind. Hmm. Tootie hadn't sensed an 'Other' lingering, or any indication of a wish gone awry, so she had no idea what her counterpart's role might be. She could inquire of the transistor, except it was better used cloaking her beloved, his counterpart, and Cosmo.

"Does…does the Mafia Princess want something?" the bartender squeaked.

"No," Tootie said and groped for footing. "She wanted to ensure loyalty and see no treasonous faeries had entered."

"We're all loyal!" the faerie who had jumped under the table squawked.

((Binky,)) Timmy supplied.

"How would you describe my relationship with the Mafia Princess?" Tootie said.

The bartender gulped. "Pretty good. You two are inseparable."

"Some say," Binky said, "that she's like your mother. You've been…you've been with her since you were born. Don't you remember, Tootie?"

"Of course I remember," she snarled. ((If I was there, then why didn't I see myself?))

((Beats me,)) Timmy said. ((Unless Wanda was keeping you hidden.))

"You don't want us to do anything for you, do you?" the bartender squawked.

"I think we're done here," she said. ((C'mon.))

Trooping outside, she held the door open for her invisible companions and stepped back under the transistor's protective shield. Alternate Timmy was giving her a horrified look and Cosmo edged closer to his godchild. Her Timmy, however, looked mildly amused.

"We've learned all we're going to learn," she said. "No one is going to know _why _Wanda- the 'Mafia Princess'- adopted me, and it looks like I'm your best bet at getting close to her."

She frowned, folding her arms across her chest. "But it doesn't look like toppling Wanda would really solve the problem. She wasn't the problem to begin with."

"Stop using the name," Cosmo hissed.

"We go after Big Daddy and find Jorgen?" her Timmy said. "And then what?"

A security camera hovered near them and snapped a picture. Chills went down her spine and she stepped closer to Timmy, who had done the same. Cosmo and alternate Timmy gaped, Cosmo's hands gripping his wand. A pregnant pause ensued and none of them looked at each other.

"Does the transistor work against cameras?" she said aloud.

"No…" Timmy said quietly. "It'll change back."

"Then we've been spotted," she said.

* * *

They returned to Fairy World and Wanda immediately commanded her forces to locate Big Daddy. Anxious and uneasy from her trip to Earth, Wanda descended to her inner sanctum and brought Tootie. Tootie waved her wand and conjured chocolate, which earned her a rare smile. Tootie reciprocated, rocking back and forth on her heels. Wanda, in the meanwhile, gorged herself on chocolate and produced a soda to help it all go down.

"Once Big Daddy's located, do we capture him?" Tootie asked.

"I'm not sure…" Wanda said and munched a chocolate bar. "Thank you, by the way."

"You're welcome," she said. "Wouldn't it be better to have him under your control?"

"It would be…ironic," Wanda replied, her lips twitching. "I don't see how I could force him to reclaim Fairy World, but there may be other functions for which he is uniquely designed."

"Princess!" a faerie with black hair, brown eyes, and a lithe, athletic build said. She bowed and Wanda inclined her head.

"The humans you sent away returned," Novios said. "And they brought someone with them. They say his name is Cosmo."

Wanda gasped, the name hitting her like a blow to the stomach. Her hands trembled. "Cosmo? He's here? In Fairy World?"

"Yes, Princess," Novios replied. "Do you want us to capture them?"

Big Daddy had set the compulsion to prevent Wanda from pursuing Cosmo on Earth and she had exiled him there. Unable to seek him out, and knowing his fear prevented him from doing the same, she'd not seen him since the edict over nine thousand years ago. She rose to her feet and Tootie gently tugged her back down. Scowling, she meant to reprimand her, except she realized her legs were unsteady and she would have fallen over. The half human child had saved her an embarrassing display, although the boxes of chocolate and chocolate stains on her mouth were probably testament otherwise.

"Capture Cosmo," she said and produced a napkin to wipe her face. "Leave the others."

"You've warned them once before," Novios said. "The penalty for breaking your rules twice is death."

"I'm well aware," Wanda snapped. "Leave the others. They may lead us to Jorgen."

"As you wish," Novios said and inclined her head. "Detain Cosmo and bring him to you immediately?"

"Yes," Wanda said. "That will suffice. You are dismissed, Novios."

* * *

"I wish we were home!" alternate Timmy said and Cosmo held up his wand. Before he had a chance to grant the wish, the wand's light dimmed and a squadron of faeries dressed in black materialized. They huddled closer, Cosmo quivering and whimpering, and Tootie grabbing the transistor, which had turned into a sword. Timmy flinched, wanting to flee far away from it and thinking of Lorenzo again. Tootie stroked his cheek with the back of her hand and he jumped.

((This wasn't a good idea, was it?)) she sent.

((The idea was fine,)) Timmy snapped, churlish. ((The transistor's the problem.))

A faerie broke off from the group and held up a wand. Wearing black, the faeries were nondescript and impossible to determine gender. Jerking his/her head, the faerie tugged Cosmo close and alternate Timmy growled, leaping on his godfather and tugging him back.

"We have orders," the faerie with the wand snapped. Even the voice was androgynous. "Cosmo is ours. The others are free."

"I'm not leaving Cosmo," alternate Timmy retorted.

The faerie groaned. "Humans are always so dramatic."

Something hissed and Tootie pivoted, trying to determine the source. Her eyelids grew heavier and she groaned, wielding the transistor to fend it off, but it was mysteriously not responding. Either that, or she didn't have the energy necessary to compel it. Slumping against her Timmy, she reached for his hand and he moved it away. This was the last thing she remembered.

* * *

Cosmo appeared before her when Wanda was in the middle of her second chocolate bar. He scanned the room and all its potential weapons, gulped, and flung himself on the floor. Tootie snorted and Wanda rolled her eyes. Being this close to him, after millennia of separation, made her chest tight and she ached with desire. Gritting her teeth, she took several deep breaths through her nose and concentrated on not humiliating herself further.

"You may rise," she said. Cosmo jumped and ducked behind a chair.

"_This _is Cosmo?" Tootie scoffed. "What a coward."

Groaning, Wanda put the wand down beside her. "There. Now neither of us are armed."

"But she is!" Cosmo said, pointing to Tootie.

"Mother, must I?" Tootie said, groaning.

"Unless you'd like him to continually jump at walls, then yes, you must," Wanda said, smiling thinly.

"Oh, it has a certain appeal, I must admit," Tootie said. "But it might grow tiresome after the first hour."

Wanda glared. "Tootie. Wand down. That's an order."

Tootie reluctantly lowered her wand and dropped it on the floor. As she had known he wouldn't, Cosmo made no effort to retrieve it. Instead, he shuffled away from the chair and stared at Wanda. Wanda stared back, squeezing the bed sheets. So much time had passed, and yet, aside from the acne clearing, Cosmo looked almost exactly the same. Her heart skittered painfully in her chest.

"She doesn't look that much like the other Tootie," Cosmo said and Wanda smirked.

"No, no, she doesn't," she said. "She's missing the half crown and she holds herself differently. Of course, that Tootie is entirely human, whereas mine isn't."

"What are you talking about?" Tootie said, frowning.

Wanda waved her hand to indicate the subject dismissed temporarily. "Why are you in Fairy World?"

"Timmy wished it," Cosmo said, shrugging. "You know Da Rules. At least, you used to."

Wanda pushed herself off the bed and promptly collapsed onto the floor. Cursing mentally, she accepted the hand back up and, to save face, scrambled back against the pillows. A greater being would have inferred she was off kilter. Cosmo was too stupid to notice. Still, the way his eyes roved her face increased her unease.

"Why didn't you look at me?" he said. She didn't have to ask for clarification.

"You owe your life to me," she said. "You should be grateful, little faerie."

"I don't understand," he replied.

"Big Daddy ordered your execution along with your parents," Tootie said. "Wanda stayed the sentence and transmuted it to save your life."

Cosmo gaped at them. Wanda rubbed her temples and smeared chocolate on them. Fetching her wand, she absently cleaned it off and then pushed it away again. She wasn't sure whether Cosmo's incomprehension was because she'd rescued him, or because Tootie's larger vocabulary had left him perplexed.

"Why?" he said.

"You know why," she replied.

"The same reason you adopted Tootie?" Cosmo said and she flinched. She ignored Tootie's curious look. She had never told her why she'd adopted her, and had no intention of it, but Cosmo's forthrightness deserved an answer.

"Not quite," she said. "She's Juandissimo's daughter, his last desperate attempt to get my attention after I'd cast him away."

"You could have…" Cosmo swallowed hard and she knew without asking the rest of it.

"Yes," she admitted, inclining her head. "I could have."

"But you didn't," he said and smiled. "Because you still have a heart."

"I wouldn't go that far," she said.

"I would," he said, warming to the idea. "You have a heart and you love her, just like you love me."

Wanda ground her teeth. Tootie glanced from her to Cosmo, back and forth, like watching a tennis match. She had a strong urge to smack her in the back of the head. Instead, she grabbed her wand and lifted Cosmo up off the floor. Her eyes narrowed.

"I spared your life once," she said. "Don't make me regret it."

Cosmo gulped and Wanda released him into a sprawl on the floor. His eyes met hers and she softened, wishing she hadn't treated him so harshly. In nine thousand years, she hadn't apologized or weakened toward anyone, save Tootie. Tootie was an extreme case, where Wanda was the only person she had in the entire world, and on whom she was dependent. Try as she might, she was unable to wrench her gaze away from Cosmo.

"Is what he said true?" Tootie asked.

"I wouldn't keep you around if you didn't have a use to me," Wanda replied.

"But…" Tootie swallowed, "You wouldn't have adopted me and allowed me to call you 'Mother' if I were just a tool."

Wanda swallowed too, rubbing her palms along her pants. With great effort, she broke the connection between herself and Cosmo, and stared at the bedspread. She had never told Tootie she loved her, though she had given her indications of it. Keeping her close to her and permitting her to see her at her weakest was the best Wanda could have done to show it, since she hadn't uttered those words in over nine thousand years. In fact, the last person she'd said those words to…

"Wanda," Cosmo said and Wanda jerked her head. She shuddered again. Another first in thousands of years.

"Do you love her?" he said. By adding her name to it, he'd compelled her to tell the truth. His mastery over her true name wasn't the same, since she'd changed in between. It achieved its goal, nonetheless.

"Yes," Wanda said.

"Then you have a heart!" he said and grinned at her. "Or you wouldn't have adopted her _or _saved me. Or Timmy."

Tootie whispered, "I love you too, Mother."

Wanda shuddered. Those three words. "I'll see whether they've made any headway locating Daddy."

"I'll do that and you'll stay with Cosmo," Tootie said. "You two have catching up to do."

"No," Wanda snapped. "I'll go."

"But, _Wanda_," Cosmo whined, "I want you to stay. And so does Tootie."

There was another first. That was the first time in a long while she'd heard her name whined. The last time had been Cosmo too. Despite herself, she laughed. It was rusty, since she didn't remember the last time she'd laughed genuinely, amused rather than deriving pleasure from other's pain. Warmth filled her and she relaxed, truly relaxed, for the first time in centuries. There was a danger in that too, she realized. Cosmo could be her downfall if she wasn't careful.

At that, she was on guard again. Love was dangerous. Love was a weakness. Cosmo was the greatest weakness she could ever have, with his ill adeptness at magic and his stupidity. Should anyone find out his significance, it'd be easy to snatch him away and use him against her. She refused to look at him.

"I'll go," she said. He hadn't laden her name with a compulsion and at this point, there wasn't anyone she knew of who could order her and succeed.

"Promise me you'll stay," Cosmo said and she fought the urge to look at him. In their earlier time together, promises were everything. She and Blonda had used to pinky promise. She barely recalled her twin and yet, her twin was the reason everything had happened.

"I'll be right back," Tootie said and popped out. Wanda hissed and Cosmo approached the bed. She moved aside without looking at him, though she was strongly aware of his presence.

"I haven't had Wanda flavor in a really long time," he said.

"Drop the pretense," she told him. "We're not the same. 'We' are not a 'we' anymore. I'm not the faerie you fell in love with. I kill, destroy, and pillage."

"I bet you don't like it doing it," he said.

"It doesn't matter," she said. "I tried changing Fairy World after Daddy destroyed it and no one believed me. No one trusted me. Big Daddy corrupted everyone. So I became what everyone expected me to be. A tyrant."

"I never expected you to be a tyrant," he said and licked his lips. "You were always Wanda to me."

"I couldn't have been," she said. "You didn't know my name until a year after we started…"

"Dating?" he suggested and she scoffed.

"You could hardly call it that," she said.

"I'd call it that," he said. "I missed you. I love you, Wanda."

"You know, anyone else using my name that often would have been summarily executed," she said. Cosmo cupped her cheek and tilted her head toward him. She gasped and was shocked to discover tears burning the corners of her eyes.

"I wish Daddy had never found your parents at the F.U.N…." she said and swallowed, throat constricting.

"You're still the same," he said. "The same beautiful faerie who was crying."

A tear coursed down her cheek and she jerked away from him. She really ought to have gone with Tootie.

"I never stopped loving you, even if I stopped seeing you," he said. He kissed her and she slid her hand beneath his shirt to the smooth skin beneath. For a second, she rested her hand on his chest, right above his heart. She broke off the kiss and shuddered, withdrawing further on the bed.

"I should kill you," she said, swallowing hard. "You'll destroy me. Everything I've built will be in ruins."

"I thought you didn't want it," he said.

"I don't," she said and laughed humorlessly, a jittery short sound she cut off. "It's all I have. It's all I am anymore. Cosmo, I'm trapped."

"No," he said.

"Yes," she said.

"No," he insisted. "You're never trapped, as long as I'm around."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" she whispered.

"Trust me," he said and grinned. She groaned.

"Oh, because that's a good idea," she retorted.

"Hey," he said. "I promised I wouldn't hurt you and I never have."

He leaned forward again and kissed her. Nervous, he broke off the kiss and she grabbed him by the tie to bring him back. Her heart raced and she knew this was a bad idea, knew he'd destroy everything, and wanted it so badly she was willing to throw all caution to the winds. She kissed him on the lips and lingered, burying one hand in his hair.

"I love you too, Cosmo," she murmured against his lips. Her eyes narrowed and she jerked back. "This can't last forever, can it?"

"Nope!" Cosmo said cheerily. "Only another day or two, then I'm stealing you and bringing you back to Earth with me."

"Earth?" she repeated and weighed it in her mind. Earth was where Blonda had been killed. Earth was where Big Daddy hid out. No one would ever suspect the Mafia Princess to hide out there. Her lips dried and she licked them.

"Wanda, do you trust me?"

She gritted her teeth and hissed. "Stop using my name."

"But…" he protested. "How else am I gonna get you to tell me the truth?"

"Of course I trust you," she said, grimacing. There was silence and Wanda's grip slackened on Cosmo's tie. He wrapped his arms around her and she gasped, her whole body tingling. She could get used to this.

"As Timmy says, 'what's the worst that could possibly happen'?" Cosmo said and beamed.


End file.
